Power of Destiny
by xsecretxkeeperx
Summary: The Volturi come across Bella's sweet blood & imprison her, but Aro soon finds out that she's more than just his drug. After a year of torture Bella's life is intertwined with Edward's and Carlisle's. Will they be able to save her from Aro and her destiny
1. Final Vacation

~*~Final Vacation~*~

As I sat waiting for the plane to take off I thought about everything I was giving up; my mom, my home, heat. It didn't matter, though. I could see what staying home with me was doing to my mother and I couldn't stand to see her unhappy. She loved me more than anything, but she missed Phil while he was traveling for the minors and I decided it was time to spend some quality time with Charlie. I could only imagine how miserable living in Forks would be, but I had already made up my mind and with the stubborn trait I inherited from my dad, once I made a decision I didn't waver.

My mom knew this about me so she didn't argue with me much. She was saving up all of her ammo to get me to accept her guilt present. She knew I hated spending money on things that weren't necessary, but she ironically used the guilt trip method to make me consider her guilt present. She said it would ease her mind if I could have something before I went to live in the place she fled from fourteen years ago. Her argument was valid, though. I had never been farther east than Arizona and never outside the U.S. If this helped her feel better then I would go to Italy and have fun despite the cost of the plane ticket. It would be my only chance for anything remotely interesting until I could get out of Forks.

She tried to come with me, but I would only be there ten days and at my sixteen years of age I could take care of myself far better that my thirty-seven year old mother. My mom has a child's heart and taking care of her since she left Charlie when I was two, gave me a lot of maturity. In fact, my mom always calls me her middle aged child. I was worried about leaving her to fend for herself, but her and Phil were to be married soon and I knew he could take care of her.

I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I knew the flight attendant with her all too pleasant Barbie smile was gently waking me and telling me that we had landed. After collecting my baggage, grimacing and the cloud covered sky, and telling the taxi driver the address to the hotel my mom reserved for me I had finally arrived at a decent historical looking Italian hotel. Inside was just as mesmerizingly old fashioned and filled with stories as the exterior. It was absolutely amazing.

"Can I take those for you?" I jumped as the bell hop pulled me out of my thoughts.

"No, thank you," I smiled, "I don't even know what room I'm in yet."

"That's okay. I can wait till you check in," he said with his thick accent as he leaned a little too close and smiled a little too warmly.

I was still suffering from jet lag and, not being used to this kind of attention, I smiled a weak smile and turned back to the small line in front of me. He looked as if he were going to try again, when the door opened and the most beautiful woman I had ever seen walked through the door. Were her eyes violet? The boy immediately turned his attention to the vision of perfection that had just entered the lobby, but her eyes were locked on mine and for some reason I couldn't look away.

She seemed excited like she had been looking for me, like she knew me. It was more than excitement though, it was…hunger? I didn't understand the look she gave me and before I had much time to think about it, she smiled and walk toward me. When she reached me she took a deep breath and sighed.

"Hello," she said in a voice almost angelic, "I'm Heidi."

"Bella," I responded. Not knowing what else to say, I held out my hand.

She shook it and her hand felt as if she had been holding it a bucket of ice water. I let my hand drop, but she still held our connection.

"Hello Bella. You are absolutely tempting." She paused for a moment taking me in. "I work for a modeling agency and I am sure my boss would love to meet you." Then her eyes were intense. "You're exactly what we've been looking for"

I shuddered involuntarily at the mental picture of me tripping down a runway. If she only knew what a mistake making me a model would be. I laughed timidly and answered, "Actually, I'm only here for a short vacation, but thank you."

She stared at me for a moment confused as if she'd never been denied before. Why would she want me anyway? I was ordinary and invisible to most people. What kind of model could I be with my unexciting features? She leaned her head forward a bit and her eyes were fierce with concentration.

"Are you sure you won't reconsider? You would be such an asset to the company."

"I'm sure, thank you. I would make a terrible model."

She stared at me looking almost appalled for a few moments and then recovered her face but her eyes were still mystified.

"I see," was all she said before she turned on her heel and bounded out of the lobby with unparalleled grace.

I stood, shocked, with my now empty hand pulled into my body. What on earth just happened?

****************************************

I spent my trip enjoying the sites and sounds of Italy. The weather was nice with the exception of that first day and I was relishing in the Italian sun as much as possible. I only had a few days left till I would be on a plane to my own personal hell in Forks, where sunny days were just about as common as snowy days in Phoenix. I decided to go to a little city not too far from where I was staying called Volterra. There was supposed to be a castle and the brochure claimed that there was tons of history in its walls. I stepped outside the hotel and cringed at the cloud cover. I flagged down a taxi and arrived at the city walls in no time. Once inside stopped and gasped at the beauty of this wondrous place. It was absolutely brilliant with its antique shops and houses. I almost never wanted to leave.

I made my way through the many shops, buying little trinkets, until I reached a clock tower that engulfed my attention. I hadn't noticed her walking toward me, being so captivated by this marvelous structure, until she was but a few feet away. She smiled warmly and came to a stop directly in front of me, taking a deep breath.

"Bella! How wonderful to see you again!" Heidi exclaimed. I smiled trying to give off the impression that I felt the same. She chuckled at my attempt.

"Don't worry, I'm not recruiting today. I live here. Would you like me to show you around?"

I hesitated for a moment, but decided it might be nice to have some company. She was ecstatic when I agreed and took me by the arm.

"It's so wonderful that you're here," she said leading me through an archway, "I was afraid I would have to go out and track you down."

I gave her a quizzical look, "I thought you weren't recruiting today."

She turned to look at me, seeming pleased with herself. "I thought it would be so much harder than this, but you've made it so easy little one. You came straight to me."

I looked around and noticed that this part of the city was deserted. I felt a chill come over me as I noticed the same hungry look in her eye. I looked down at my watch and made and excuse.

"I really wish I could stay, but I do have to get back and start packing." I started to walk away, but all of the sudden she was in front of me. I turned to see where she had been and turned back to her. It seemed impossible that she had really moved that fast. Fear was setting in as she spoke.

"Silly girl, I'm not giving you a choice. Mmmm." She moved so close I could feel her icy breathe on my neck. She inhaled my scent with vigor. "You have no idea how appealing you are, do you? You are absolutely enticing, my dear child."

I decided to run. I had to get out of there, but there was a hard knock on the back of my head and everything went black. The last thing I remembered was feeling the cold cobblestone under my limp body and then nothing.


	2. Oblivion

~*~Oblivion~*~

I woke in a fluffy white bed with a searing pain in the back of my head. I had to be dreaming although the pain kept telling me otherwise. The bed I was laying in was grand, but the only thing in the circular stone room beside myself. I'd never been here before but it had the familiarity of a fairytale prison for a princess. I checked the large wooden door and sure enough I was locked in. My head was throbbing, but it was almost nothing compared to my fear.

It was all so hard to comprehend. It was surreal. None of this made any sense. I'm not pretty, so why me? How could anyone move as fast as she did? Why did it look like I was stuck in some nightmare fairytale? I could deal with it if I knew what I was dealing with, but that was the problem. Things like this don't happen to people. Not just to me, but to anyone. I was pulled out of my mental break down when the room started spinning and I realized that I was hyperventilating. It would do me no good to pass out again. I needed to calm down and come up with a plan.

I slowed myself down and got a hold of my breath. There was a window. The childhood stories about entrapped princesses told me it would be a long way down, but I had to check. It was a lot higher than I thought. I backed away from the window and almost fell onto the bed. So, scratch that option. I couldn't run; I knew that from experience. The only thing left to do was to wait.

I didn't wait long. As soon as I laid my head on the pillow, I heard a knock at the door. They hit me over the head and kidnapped me, and now they were knocking?

"Um…come in," I said in a weak voice. I wasn't even sure who ever it was would be able to hear me through the thick wooden door, but the door opened and ghostly white, gloriously beautiful being glided toward me. He had long black hair, piercing red eyes, and despite the polite smile he wore I knew he wasn't to be trusted.

"Ah, you are awake! I'm sorry about the bump, but you understand we could not have you bringing attention to us." He let out a light chuckle and looked me over taking deep breaths every so often.

I didn't know what to say. Was he serious? If I weren't so scared I would have been furiously annoyed. The silence seemed like it lasted a lifetime but I'm sure it only lasted a few seconds as he walked past me to sit on the bed. I glanced to the door which he had left open and back at him. Would he be as fast as the woman? He chuckled at my expression. I knew that the confusion and the determination were written all over my face. I could never hide what I was thinking.

"You won't get far my dear, and I would hate to damage you again…unnecessarily that is," he smiled his polite smile and I could barely contain my cringe. "You see dear, you hold something so very precious in your veins and will not lose it again." He took another deep breath through his nose and stared intently at me.

"Who are you?" my voice was surprisingly steady.

He smiled wider and spoke in a light voice, "Oh, dear! I seem to have lost all my manners! My Name is Aro, young child, and I am so very pleased to have found you." He walked over to where I was frozen and held out his hand to shake mine, but I couldn't move.

"Don't worry, young one, I won't bite." His smile changed into something darker on the last words he spoke. It chilled me further, but I lifted my hand to his. I set it in his palm, ice cold just like the other one, but he didn't shake it. He just held it there while my eyes were petrified in one place staring at his face. His smile wavered for a second and his brow furrowed, but then he laughed, dropping my hand and clasping his own together.

"My dear! You are extraordinary, aren't you? When Heidi told me of your resistance I thought you only strong willed, but, my, how I was wrong." He was genuinely surprised and I was genuinely confused.

"Of course, that means that we won't get to savor your exquisite flavor for long, but you will make a fine addition to our family once you are turned." His eyes were full of excitement at this prospect and it scared me even more than I already was. What did he mean? What did he have planned for me?

He must have seen the fear in my eyes, because his expression changed into something almost gentle, but I still couldn't trust it. He lifted his icy hand to my face and stroked my cheek.

"Don't be afraid, beautiful child. You will be very comfortable here and once you become one of us, you will have all you could ever dream of." He smiled fully and I gasped at his beautiful, perfect teeth. "You must be so confused. Let me explain."

He led me to the bed and gestured me to sit next to him. I sat as far as the bed would allow, which was far too short a distance seeing as he gently took hold my hand.

"My young child, there is so much you don't know, so much in this world that is kept secret from your kind. We've brought you here to get all we can from you're sweet blood, my dear, but how could we imagine that the sweet nectar that flows through you would be given to us with such a powerful being. Ah, you are more than you know." He seemed in awe of me and I was more confused than before. My blood? He wants my blood and he thinks I'm powerful? He saw the confusion cross my face.

"Blood is our nourishment, young Bella. We are Vampires here." I became still as stone and my face broke with shock. I must have misheard, but I knew I didn't. It made everything that happened make so much sense and yet it made no sense at all. He couldn't be a…I couldn't even bring my mind to think the word. This was impossible, but my mind couldn't come up with another plausible answer.

He sat there silently, amused by my expressions as I tried to work everything out in my mind. Why me? And if he really was what he said he was, then why am I still alive?

"I don't understand," my voice was barely a whisper.

"No, I suppose not. It must be so much for your human brain to take in. We drink blood, young Bella, but yours is too precious to taste only once. You see, while all blood is tantalizing, yours is…" he lifted my wrist to his face and closed his eyes, inhaling the scent of my blood, "spellbinding. You're blood is like a drug to us, Bella. And not knowing when or if I'll come across another like you, I refuse to only relish in your flavor once." He sighed, a little saddened by something, but resumed his joyful disposition almost immediately. He saw the questions in my eyes.

"You see, child, once we found you we were planning to be immersed in your essence for the next few decades, but with the powers I sense in you, I can not waste your gift, either." He lifted his hand to my cheek again. "My dear child, you are so very special to me. You will be so much more than we had originally planned for you. Once you become immortal, you will be part of this family and you will have everything." He continued to gaze at me for a few moments before he swiftly retreated toward the corridor. He turned back to me from the door with another awestruck expression.

"I will give you time to settle into your new life here. Sleep well, my child." He was gone in the time it took me to blink with the door closed securely behind him.

I don't know how long I sat staring at nothing at all, until I realized that the room had gone dark. I turned my head slowly to look out the window and saw the moon the sky. I turned my head slowly back and felt my body shaking and the hot tears burning down my cheeks as I started to sob. This was it, my life was over. I would never see my mother or father again. They would think me dead and I was almost grateful that they wouldn't know the true hell I was going to endure. What I wouldn't give to be in boring, rainy Forks, Washington.

I felt the strength leave my body as I slumped over on the bed and continued to convulse. This was my life now, being the prisoner in the fairytale style castle, locked away by vampires. But I was no princess, and there would be no prince to rescue me from this nightmare. I was damned to live a hopeless existence, being a pet to a monster.

I cried for what seemed like an eternity, until finally, I had no strength left to feel anything at all. I laid there motionless and dead for some time more, and then, after another eternity, my body drifted off into nothingness and I fell into sleep.


	3. One Year Later

~*~One Year Later~*~

I sat with my siblings at our usual table, pretending to eat the vile food high school served to human children. I loved Forks, but going to high school was mundane. I'd been through it a few dozen times and nothing ever changes. Teenage minds always had the same unimaginative thoughts and I tried to stay out of the minds of my brothers and sisters to give them privacy. It wasn't effortless, though. I can't turn off my ability and being so familiar with their voices, I could very easily hear what they were thinking.

Rosalie and Emmett were thinking of each other with a stray thought here and there for vanity in Rose's case and competition in Emmett's. Jasper was struggling with our 'vegetarian' diet and Alice was focused on Jasper. I saw Jasper fantasize about running and snapping the neck of the blonde girl laughing in the aisle next to us and drinking her dry at the same time I saw a flash of one of Alice's visions of Jasper doing something similar to his fantasy. I kicked his chair under the table.

'_Sorry,_' he thought with a sheepish smile. '_I'll try harder_'

I shrugged and shook my head infinitesimally to let him know that there was no harm done. As much as I hated being in the minds of these silly high school children, I went back to scanning their thoughts for any hint of detection about what we were. With Alice so focused on her husband I had to do extra just to be safe. I didn't mind, though. She was worried about him and she needed to focus on him to ease her mind.

I as listening to the rather peaceful mind of Angela Weber when Alice had a vision of Carlisle and I on a plane to Italy. Then we were in a car driving into a walled city.

"You're going to see the Volturi?" she spoke aloud, stunned, but not loud enough for human ears to hear. All of my siblings' eyes were on me. I held up my hands.

"Don't look at me, it must have been Carlisle's decision."

'_I guess so. I wonder what happened. I think we should skip the rest of the day to find out,_' she thought.

I nodded, "I think so, too."

"Will someone please tell the rest of us what's going on?" Emmett interjected.

"Alice saw Carlisle and I on a plane and then in Volterra. I didn't make any decision to go there so something must have happened to make Carlisle decide to go. We're leaving after lunch."

"I wonder what it's all about?" Jasper questioned.

"I don't know, but it involves the Voturi so whatever it is it has to be important, right?" Rosalie chimed in.

I didn't know either and there was no sense in guessing. We waited for the bell to end lunch and left in my Volvo to go home. Carlisle was in the large family room when we got there. His thoughts weren't on the Volturi at that moment so I had to ask when I got in the door.

"Why are we going to Italy, Carlisle?"

"Alice caught that, did she?" he asked with a gentle smile. I nodded. "Aro called me and asked if I would come pay him a visit. He'd like to talk to me about a theory I had about a prophecy he'd heard about a few decades ago." '_It's not good if this prophecy is true, Edward.' _"He wants me to bring you with me, but he didn't say why."

"A prophecy? He can't really believe in all that mumbo jumbo can he?" Emmett spouted. Alice shot him a glare.

"What do you think it is that I do Emmett? Guesswork?"

"No, I just mean, a prophecy defines a future that can't change, right? That's kind of impossible isn't it?" Alice's face went blank and she was truly stumped. She didn't know. Then Carlisle spoke.

"It's possible. If you believe in destiny. If no matter what choices someone made they ultimately ended up in the same place. It's possible."

Everyone was silent, but their thoughts were swirling with confusion and shock. Alice less than the rest. I think she always knew of the possibility.

"What's the prophecy Carlisle?" Jasper asked.

"I don't know" _Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona, where we lay our scene…_ He was reciting Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet' with intense concentration. He was hiding something. I decided not to bring it up, we would be alone soon, enough.

"When are you leaving?" Esme asked saddened by the prospect of being apart from her life's love. Or the love of her existance rather, seeing as we weren't alive.

"Immediately, the sooner we go, the sooner we can come home." He smiled warmly to her and gave her a soft kiss on the forehead. It was hard watching my parents and my siblings sometimes. Most of the time I could bear it, but when their thoughts were so intimate like now, it pained me more than I would let any of them know.

My father and I said our goodbyes and left for the airport. It was a quiet ride to the airport with the exception of 'Romeo and Juliet' emanating from Carlisle's thoughts. I waited till we were seated on the plane to ask my question, where I knew he could not escape. Not easily, anyway. I interrupted his thoughts half way through 'Merchant of Venice.'

"You can tell me anytime you want to Carlisle. I think it might be something I need to know if I'm going to be in the middle of it." He debated whether or not to tell me. I was definitely intending to tell me, but he wondered if he should wait just a while longer. He sighed and conceded.

"I know, I just wasn't ready to think that it might be true myself." And then he remembered the conversation he had with Aro, so many years ago.


	4. Theories to Truth

~*~Theories to Truth~*~

As Carlisle drew up the memory of his last visit with Aro, I was able to see through his eyes, a grand room, almost royal, coated in rich colors of pearl, gold, deep blues and reds. At the far end of the room, about fifteen feet, there were two thrones for Aro and his wife, no doubt. Next to the large cascading window was a coffee table with two comfortable old style chairs set on either side. Aro stood next to them, gesturing for Carlisle to take a seat.

"Carlisle, my old friend! How wonderful it is for you to come! I was hoping that you would accept my invitation!" They took their seats in the small conversation area.

"It's been along time. You look well, my friend." Carlisle responded with a warm smile.

"You as well. Being a doctor suits you well. I knew of your strength of will, but this! It amazes me, dear friend. I never expected you to do so well for yourself. Of course I hoped that you would succeed, but I underestimated your self control!"

"You haven't changed a bit, have you, Aro?" Carlisle chuckled.

"We cannot all be saints," Aro smiled a polite smile and sighed. "I do wish you would stay, though, Carlisle. I hate to think of you alone for all these years."

"I'm grateful for your thoughts, friend, but I'm no longer alone. I have a wife and a son." Carlisle looked away thinking of Esme and myself. "I'm luckier than I could have imagined."

"A wife and a son!" Aro was elated. "And they share your life choices?"

Carlisle looked back at Aro and smiled. "They do."

"I'm overjoyed by your happiness, dear friend! You must bring them to meet me at once! Are they here in the city?"

"They are not. I apologize for not thinking. I assumed this was more than a social call. I would have insisted had I known your desire to know my family."

"Ah. That it is, dear friend. I do have business to discuss with you. I know how much you love your theories. I do wonder, since I do not know of the next time we will meet, may I meet them through your thoughts?" he smiled politely, but his innocent expression was far from trustworthy.

Carlisle hesitated for a moment, but slowly reached out his hand to touch Aro's palm. All of my father's memories and thoughts, from the time he left the Volturi to present time in the memory he was showing me with him sitting in that room, flashed through his head involuntarily. Aro seemed particularly interested in me.

"Amazing," he whispered with delight. "Everyone's thoughts then?"

"Everyone's within a few miles. What was this business that you wanted to discuss, Aro?" Carlisle was uncomfortable with showing Aro my abilities and the thousands year old vampire seemed to realize that I was not an open topic.

"Ah, yes! Like I said, your theories are truly fascinating. I am remembering one in particular that you had. About a prophecy? You believe them to be true, am I wrong?"

"I do not believe them to be true, Aro, I simply entertain the idea that such a thing is possible. You have heard of seers, true seers, I mean, who have the ability to witness the future. In these cases, the future is ever changing as our minds change. I know I stand alone in my beliefs of what is out there for our kind, but I am a holy man, Aro. I cannot think that there is nothing more. And in that faith, yes, I do believe that there could very possibly be an unchangeable future…a vision of that future would be a prophecy, I suppose."

Aro's eyes were alight. "Yes, yes it would. Would that not be an amazing discovery, Carlisle?"

"It would be very pleasant if I found my theory correct, yes, but Aro, last time we had this discussion you found it highly unlikely. What's changed, friend?"

"I came upon some interesting talk and I wanted to run it by you." Carlisle gave him an incredulous look. Aro believed nothing of what he heard. He insisted on hearing ones mind on such occasions he 'heard' something of interest. Aro saw the look on his face and smiled knowingly. "I can keep nothing from you, can I, Carlisle?"

"I know you too well, old friend."

"It truly is magnificent. The vision was of a vessel. A most powerful vessel. Or so I was told," Aro amended with a smile. Carlisle noticed something about his behavior, but couldn't put a finger on it. He nodded for Aro to continue.

"It is more powerful than anything I have ever known, Carlisle. Do you think such a being could exist? To think that one pure being could contain more strength, more energy, more control than all else in this world. It is an interesting prospect, is it not?"

"Very interesting, indeed, friend. So, this…being is supposed to be all powerful? I truly doubt that one such being could exist. Was there anything specific about the vision, do you know?"

"It is a female. I doubt that she exists yet, at least not in our capacity, or she would be known to all. I do not know when she will come to be one of us, but once she does she will be supreme. None can reach her. Not with abilities anyhow. She's untouchable with the mind tricks our kind so often has. The vision was described to me as being…foggy. There's little more that I can tell you. There was one other thing, however. A shadow, or rather a light, like I said it was rather hard to make out. But this light, or shadow, it surrounded her. It was as if it was protecting her, also like it belonged to her. I have told you all that I know for certain. What are your thoughts on this, dear Carlisle?" Carlisle thought for a few moments.

"This light, did it have a shape?" Aro chuckled at this.

"It did, indeed, old friend. It was the form of a person. The seer said, so I saw," Aro pointed to his head with a small smile, "that it was an angel. I hardly believe that, though, even if it did come from the seer herself."

"It very well may be, Aro. I believe in such entities, you know this, but if we see it your way, then, It sounds like whatever this light is may be the key to her. It's just a theory, of course, but this …person may be part of who she is. Her soul, if you will. Her essence." The two contemplated this for a moment. "This is absolutely unreal. Be it far from me to denounce the legitimacy of the story, but if it comes to be true, would that not be a terrifying reality? I can only pray that nothing will come of this vision. To think if this power fell into the wrong hands."

"Oh, yes! Yes, of course! That would be utterly terrible! But to think what good, what greatness could come of her. Think of the possibilities, Carlisle!" His words rang with excitement. Carlisle knew at once that Aro hoped for nothing more than for this prophecy to true and for he to take control over the vessel in which held pure power.

Carlisle's memory came to a stop and I just stared at him. It took a few seconds for me to process what he had shown me and what it all meant. Carlisle's thought interrupted my own.

'_I think he's found her Edward. He also wants you, if you couldn't tell._'

"I caught that much," I said dryly.

'_He'll tempt you and I will have no power to stop you. You know you're free to do as you wish.'_

I gave him and incredulous look. I did rebel once, but it tore apart what conscience I had. I had long since adjusted to our 'vegetarian' lifestyle.

'_I know, I know. But he will try just about anything to get what he wants. Be prepared._'

"I will." I thought for a fraction of a second. "If he has her, then why does he need you?"

'_He thinks of me as a friend and will give me the gift of knowing I was right about prophecies. He also still needs to figure out the other part of the prophecy, I suppose. He'll want to know my theories. He finds great pleasure in discussing them with me._'

"You're theories are rather interesting at times." I smiled at the thought of some of the most imaginative theories my father had come up with…most of which were found to be correct.

'_Be wary of his touch. If he touches you he will see not only all of your thoughts, but also every thought that you've heard from others. If he's caught up in all of this prophecy matter, I don't want him to see what Alice can do. It's best not to mention the family. If he doesn't know about them he will be less inclined to ask to see them_'

"Agreed. What do we do if it's true, Carlisle?"

'_Let's just pray that it isn't. I don't think there is much that we can do, but let's not worry about it until the time comes_'

We carried on our silent conversation like this until we landed. When arrived at the city a human woman named Giana led us to where Aro was waiting. It was a rather unpleasant trip listening to all of the dark thoughts floating through her mind. I tried to tune her out, but my ability didn't come with an off switch. She led us down corridor after corridor until we reached a large grand looking medal door. Giana caught my look at the door which seemed strangely out of place with the décor.

"It's to keep in the sound. No one can hear through it. Master Aro is waiting for you inside."

She gave us a small nod and hurried off to do her job. It was the same room from Carlisle's memory, however, there was a third chair added to the sitting area next to the window and Aro was sitting on his thrown waiting formally for our introductions. Carlisle leaned into a small bow and mentally told me to do the same. Apparently, Aro was one for theatrics. We straightened back up and Carlisle did the introductions.

"Aro, may I introduce, Edward Cullen, my son and first member of my coven?" Aro was absolutely thrilled with the show to his authority.

"You may, old friend! You most certainly may! How very wonderful it is to finally meet you, dear boy. Carlisle has told me so much about you." He smiled eagerly at the thought of my joining him. He made no secret of these thoughts of acquisition, but he was very good at hiding something. I just couldn't figure out what it was. There was something he didn't want us to know.

"It is an honor to make your acquaintance, Aro. I fear, however, that my loyalties lie with my father." His thought's revolved around how powerful we could be together. I smiled, but only to be polite. "It is a most tempting offer, but I am happy with my life in Forks."

"Ah, yes." Aro's smile settled into something more polite. "You cannot blame me for trying. You're ability is exquisite."

"Although, yours is far more impressive."

"But from a range! To think what we could do together. It surely is a pity." His attention shifted to Carlisle. "I'm thrilled you have come to pay me a visit, dear friend. There is much we need to discuss. Let us retreat to the sitting quarter," he said gesturing to the chairs. Carlisle and I did as asked with Aro coming to join us.

"What is it that we are discussing this stay, Aro? You said it had to do with the conversation we had about my theory." Aro was wondering if I knew of their tête-à-tête.

"I am aware of the theory. Carlisle shared it with me on the way here. I must say it is a fascinating concept." Aro's eyes were alight again with desire, but I tried to ignore his thoughts of possession.

"Yes, yes. Indeed it is. I also have another of your theories to talk about with you, my dear friend. You remember, I am sure, the theory you have on sweet blood. My friend, it is far better than you have guessed."

"You've found someone else with the blood?"

"She does not smell quite as sweet as the first, but she tastes astonishingly mouth-watering." It was hard to read much from their thoughts. Carlisle's were going far to fast and Aro's were surprisingly vague. He was a hundred times more talented than even Alice in keeping his mind closed to me.

"What do you mean 'does,' Aro? Is she still alive? She can't possibly smell the same after being changed."

"Alive and quite human." I read the confusion in Carlisle's face and filled him in on what I had picked up.

"They harvest her blood. Apparently, she's far too delectable to waste her for a one time escapade." It was all I could to keep the disgust out of my voice, although, I was sure it wasn't quite the casual tone I was going for. Carlisle opened his mouth to say something, but just then he flashed to the face of the girl he found so appetizing.

"No!" I said in a disbelieving whisper. It couldn't be her, but it was.

"What, Edward?" Carlisle was anxious about my reaction.

"Isabella Swan." Carlisle looked confused. Aro was delightfully surprised.

"You know our Bella?" my Father was trying to make the connections, but couldn't believe in that much of a coincidence.

"It's the same girl. Chief Swan's daughter. No, I have never met her. She was to move to Forks, but she never made it. She was abducted on her vacation to Europe." Carlisle was shocked as was I. We saw what it had done to her father and to see that she has been here, in these conditions, with our kind, it made us sick, or as close to sick as a vampire could get. Aro seemed as unphased by this news as if a bug had flown across the window.

"How odd, indeed! The correlation between the two is interesting, no doubt. I was wondering if you might have and aversion to smelling her blood. I know your wishes friend and I will not try to force it on you. I would like to know what you think, however."

'_Will this be okay with you, Edward? I know it's a terrible situation, but I am curious about the blood of this girl._' I nodded my consent, which Aro caught and found highly amusing. I was not quite as good at controlling my urges as Carlisle, but I was more controlled than the others in my family. I decided to hold my breath until I was ready to smell it. If it was sweeter than most, like the two theorists claimed, then I would have to build up in my mind.

"I am rather curious, Aro. You may bring in her blood." Aro had already planned on us agreeing and pressed a button on a remote next to his chair.

The door opened and a vampire I knew as Jane, from Carlisle's memories, entered the room holding a jeweled chalice followed closely by the girl I knew as Isabella Swan. Her eyes were downcast and sad from what I could tell, but there was something fascinating about her. And what was more, I had a feeling like I had to get her away from here. I couldn't understand this feeling. I didn't agree with what Aro was doing, by any means, but why was this feeling so strong?

It took me that fraction of a second to realize that I was only hearing one female's voice in my head. I tried to focus all the concentration I had on the girl, but I still only heard silence from where she stood in the room. I groaned audibly, which took what little air I had in my lungs. She looked up and her chocolate eyes mesmerized me. They were so deep I could almost see into her soul as she looked at me, at first with mild shock and then confusion. It was so infuriating! I knew she was thinking, it was practically written across her face, but I still couldn't _hear_ her.

I took a breath to ask Aro a question which I immediately forgot. The girl was mine! I would fight anyone who tried to take my meal! They were going to drink her first, but I had to have her! I could think of nothing else and before I even knew I was going to take her by force I was crouching and sprang into the air.


	5. She Sings

~*~She Sings~*~

I didn't get far. As soon as my feet left the ground my body fell to it with the most horrible pain I'd ever felt. I was going to die, it was the only thing that made sense. The pain was horrific. Even the pain of turning was just a vague memory compared to what I was feeling right now. I never believed in what Carlisle believed in, but in this moment, I truly hoped there was a God, to take away this pain. Maybe I was already dead and in Hell. It made sense.

"Get her out of here!" A voice. Who was 'her'? "The blood, too!" Blood? I vaguely remembered something about blood. The pain was easing, or I was getting used to it. "You may stop now, Jane." The voice was calmer now.

The pain stopped and I could feel someone's arms around me, but I didn't trust myself to get up. It felt like I was dead. The pain was gone, but the memory was fresh and it was hard to recover. But I did. I got to my feet and looked at Aro. Carlisle was still holding me up, although, I didn't need it anymore. Everything came back in a rush and I remembered what had happened.

The girl! Her blood would be the death of me! How could I have been so stupid?! It didn't make any sense. How could they be around that every day and not lose control? Was I really so weak? Her scent had cleared out of the room, but it was still vivid in my memory. Even stronger than the pain. My throat burned with thirst. Aro's eyes were cold and his voice was colder.

"If you cannot control yourself I will have to ask you to leave. It would be a shame for our visit to be cut short, but I will not risk losing her."

"I apologize. I should have braced myself for more. I suppose I under estimated her potency."

"I doubt that was it, Edward. You have amazing self control. Listen to my mind of the experience and compare it to your own." I didn't think I could do it. It was strong enough in my own mind, but I couldn't concentrate on blocking Carlisle out. I relived the experience through him, but her blood smelt nothing like what I had just gone through.

"That's…that's not what I smelled. That's not what I tasted! This doesn't make any sense! How can she smell a thousand times stronger to me than to you? I'm not that weak." But on those last words I had lost my conviction. I was that weak. Aro seemed to recover his joyful disposition once again as he got a renewed sense of the situation.

"_La tua cantante!_ Her blood sings to you! How very interesting! And rare! She's strong to all of us, but I can only imagine what she must smell like to you! How I would love to know." I tensed. This was it. I had screwed up more than I thought. He was going to see Alice. "But sadly I could never trust myself with that feeling. Accidents happen and I would hate to slip." I relaxed, but it was a sour victory. In my own weakness I had secured that Aro would not ask to gain access to my memories.

I went to sit in a chair in the corner and put my head in my hands as Aro and Carlisle talked about arrangements for our personal quarters. He still had much he wanted to discuss with Carlisle, but my father thought it best that I take some time to recuperate my senses. Aro agreed. He was hoping we would stay a while and Carlisle wanted time to think about the girl. The human who escorted us to this room came to show us to our room.

'_You're not weak. You one of the most controlled in our family. Don't dwell too much on this, Edward._'

Leave it to Carlisle to know what I'm thinking when I know what everyone else is. I shook my head. I didn't care what he thought. I could have killed that girl. This was the strongest thought in my head. I should have been far more worried over what the Volturi would have done to me, but I wasn't worried about that. It killed me to think that I could hurt her like that. To think that that wonderfully fascinating creature would have died by my hand one way or the other.

'_You didn't hurt her, Edward, she's fine. I'm sure you scared her a bit, but she hardly seemed shocked when you growled at her._' I looked at him stunned. I growled at her? '_Yes, you did, but I hardly think you had any control of your actions, Edward. Don't fault yourself this._'

I turned away from his gaze. How could I not fault myself? Was it not my body that produced that terrifying sound and lunged at her? Was it not my senses that were completely out of control? If it was not my fault than whose was it? Surely it wasn't hers! That thought made me angry. I knew Carlisle meant nothing of the sort, but I made the implication through his words. Ah! I had to snap out of this! There was no reason for me to be angry with Carlisle, he was only trying to help me.

Giana finally showed us in to a suite like room. There was a living area with the usual décor of the castle and a room off to the side that looked something like a study, but different. It was more like a sitting room and it had a phone in it. Carlisle asked if there was anyone within hearing distance and I shook my head. I dialed home and Alice answered on the first ring, like always.

"What on earth happened, Edward?! All I saw was you attacking some poor human girl! Is she a danger? Are you guys okay? I don't know what happened! The vision changed so many times it was hard to keep track of it! What happened, Edward?!"

"Calm down Alice! We're fine. We don't know if she's a danger, yet. I don't think so, though. I reacted badly to her blood. It's like what happened to Emmett, now that I think of it, except it was stronger. Much stronger. Apparently she's sweet to everyone, it's just torturous on me."

"Ugh! I should have come. You want torture? Being stuck here with visions of you attacking little girls and being too far away to do anything about it! I'm hopping on the next plane. As far as I can see, you two are staying there for a while."

"It wouldn't have helped if you were here Alice. It was too sudden, besides, Carlisle doesn't want you anywhere near here. He doesn't want Aro to even have the chance to set his eyes on you."

"I can take care of myself."

"What about Jasper? He needs you right now, Alice." It was silent for a few moments.

"Ugh! Fine! Just so you know, I'm holding you personally responsible for driving me insane."

"I'm sorry, Alice." She could hear the note of despair in my voice.

"Edward, don't do this to yourself and don't try to deny it, either. I know you too well. Nothing happened, right? It could have happened to anyone."

"But it didn't happen to anyone. It happened to me." And again I was more worried about what I did and could have done to the girl rather than to myself.

"Oh!" There was a strange note to her voice. I knew exactly what it meant.

"What did you see, Alice?"

"Hold on a second! There's a lot going on in my head right now." I waited for what seemed like an eternity.

"Alice!"

"Uh, it was nothing. Jasper's going to surprise me with a gift. I think you should go hunting. Keep yourself full, just in case."

"You're probably right. I can't afford to run into her again even the slightest bit thirsty."

"Uh… yeah, I guess. Take the route through the eastern exit."

"Alice! What did you see?!"

"Nothing. Gotta Go. I tell everyone you love them!" The line went dead. Ah! That was so horribly frustrating! Alice knew I couldn't hear her and she was probably relishing in that fact. Pay back I assumed for the visions I caused. I took her advice. No matter how frustrated I was, Alice was the person I was closest to and I knew she wouldn't steer me wrong. After letting Carlisle know what I was doing, I was out of the Castle and in a small wooded area not too far away, in no time at all.

I had my fill of deer seeing as there wasn't much else to choose from. I took my time. I was in no hurry to go back to the room and talk things over. It was nice being alone in my head. I hardly ever got that luxury. I knew that it would be hard to be around her, but I was confident that if I kept up on my thirst I would be able to withstand her. Not so much her blood, though. If I smelt that I was done for.

I couldn't stop thinking about her. I told myself that it was because she was the reason I was here, but I couldn't keep that lie up for long. The truth was, I didn't know why I couldn't get her off my mind. It could have been her blood, but I wasn't thinking of that. I was thinking of her eyes. They were so beautiful those eyes. Deep for brown and full of emotion and expression. I couldn't help but pray that if there were a God, that he would help her to survive me…to survive all of this. All I wanted was for her to be safe and happy, but she was neither of those here and it angered me. Why was I feeling this way?! I didn't know this girl, she held nothing special for me.

Then there was the prophecy. There was no doubt that Aro thought her to be the one and it makes sense. But I just couldn't see this fragile little girl as dangerous! It seemed almost impossible, but if it were true and Aro could control her, she would most definitely be dangerous. It all made me so sad. This girl with the brilliant eyes had been forced to provide her blood to monsters all the while knowing she was doomed to end up just like us. To think of how she must feel and then to have a crazed vampire lunge at her just for smelling so devastatingly sweet. How afraid she must be and to add me on top of that fear. I was disgusted with myself.

I looked at the sun and figured it was time to go back. Carlisle would start to worry. I ran all the way back to the castle and through most of the corridors, but slowed down when I realized I was in an area far from every thought in the fortress. I wasn't ready to give up my head to the invading stream of Volturi notions. I walked at a slow human pace, one of the few times I was sure I'd enjoy it. I tried to focus on the draft pushing the air against the back of my neck. I didn't want to think about anything specific. I just wanted to be. Just for a few moments. I usually hated walking at a pace this time consuming, but this was welcome. It drew out the silence for just a few moments longer and I could relish in my own thoughts.

I soon found out that this wasn't the best thing to do. I didn't notice her hurried steps until I realized they had come to a stop. I held my breath, thankful to whoever was responsible, that the breeze was blowing her scent away from me. I relied on my special ability to sense when someone was near and now I realized how positively stupid that was. I stared at her expecting her to run and scream, but her face held an odd expression that I didn't understand.

Her eyes were closed and her body completely relaxed. There was a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth, but somehow it wasn't a smile at all. I expected her to run in fear, but she stood still and fearless and I could almost swear that she was relieved.


	6. First Glimpse

~*~First Glimpse~*~

I stood, frozen in place, not daring to move. I didn't want to frighten her, although, from her expression, it seemed like some weight had suddenly lifted from her shoulders. What was she thinking?! If only I could get inside her head, I would know what to do!

She was no more than ten feet away from me and she wasn't running. She didn't even seem afraid. The small almost-smile lessened into a slight frown and she slowly opened her eyes to look at me. They were so deep, so full of emotion, and right now they were full of sorrow. Was I doing this to her? It had to be me, I was the only one here.

"You're not going to kill me?" her soft disheartened voice was still so amazingly pure and beautiful.

I shook my head almost enthusiastically to ensure that I would not hurt her. I didn't want to waste the breath I had if I didn't have to. But this was the wrong answer. Her face fell even further, if that were possible, and she leaned her back casually against the wall, but I somehow knew it was because she needed the support to hold herself up. The past moments snapped into place like puzzle pieces and I realized what all her expressions and body language had meant. She wanted me to kill her.

It pained me far worse than anything I'd ever felt to know that this wondrous girl's life was so terrifying that she would rather die a horrible death by a monster than live for another second in it. It was almost near impossible to control my anger, but I had to for her sake. I had to understand her. I had to help her. I had to know her. I decided to use some of my breath.

"Where are you running to?" her eyes were unfocused on the wall opposite that she was leaning.

"Nowhere. I don't like making them angry. It's not a very smart thing to do. Demetri can't find me easily, but they'd find me eventually. When I can get away I just hide somewhere on the grounds. It doesn't bother them as much if I don't go far." Her voice was cold, lifeless, and distant. It was a horrible sound. There wasn't even the slightest trace of hope left in her frail little frame. I fought the urge to go rip out every one of their throats. I knew I wouldn't get far anyway and Bella needed me.

That was the first time I thought of her by her name. It felt…amazing. And it felt right. I should know this girl, I should know Bella. It was all so confusing. What was I saying? Why did I feel like this? I searched for something to say to her, but came up empty. What could I say? We stood silently for a while. I kept searching, but kept failing. I had a limited amount of breath, so wasting words was out of the question. I wished she would say something. As if reading my mind she turned her head and looked me in the eye.

"Why aren't they red?" I gave her a quizzical expression to show that I didn't understand what she meant. "You're eyes. They're gold"

"I only drink animal blood," she looked at me puzzled.

"Then why did you try to attack me?"

"You smell too sweet. I lost control."

"I smell good to all of them."

"Even more to me. I don't know why. It was almost unbearable. I'm terribly sorry. I shouldn't have been so weak. Please…" I started to say 'forgive me,' but I knew I couldn't ask that of her. "I'm sorry," I concluded lamely. In my haste to say all that I had to, I ran out of air and, internally, kicked myself for being so stupid.

"Don't be," she said it under her breath and looked down. She said it low enough that if I were human I wouldn't have heard it. The words were nothing. It was the connotation behind the word that disturbed me. It said 'I wish you had.' I barely caught her flinch as she remembered how good vampire hearing was, I guessed. But she made no attempt to backpedal over her words. She looked at me again and straightened her stance with purpose. "I'm sorry," she said. _She_ was apologizing to _me_? "I hope I didn't cause you to much trouble with Aro."

I couldn't let her blame herself for my weakness, but to breath would be testing every limit I had. I could feel that the draft had stopped and her scent was undoubtedly surrounding me. In the fraction of the second it took be to think, I decided I did, at least, have enough control to run away from her if it was too much. I took a slow breath in through my mouth testing my boundaries further the more I inhaled. The burning ripped through my throat and venom flooded my mouth. I swallowed quickly, dismissing the monster that wanted to have her.

It was not as unbearable as I thought it would be. Her blood was in the open when I lost myself completely and although there was a faint hint of it in the air now—most likely from the Volturi pulling it from her veins with needles—she was far less potent than I prepared myself for. I felt triumphant and blissful at the fact that I could be around her without my wanting to kill her being forefront in my mind. I smiled at my accomplishment. I couldn't help myself. It was a wonderful feeling to be able to breath her in and not lose control over her heavenly scent. Bella raised her eyebrows and blushed slightly seeing the grin etched across my face. It was a beautiful thing, the blushing. There was something else there, too, though. I thought I could, also, almost see a trace of something in her eyes besides surprise and bewilderment. Was it anger?

"You're laughing at my apology?" It was anger. It was almost so small a thing I thought I could be imagining it, but, no, it was there. Her anger and rosy cheeks elated me. They were the first sparks of life I had seen in her and it was thrilling. There was something there besides a listless shell. She touched her cheek and her brow furrowed. She seemed confused. What was she thinking?! I had to answer her before she got the wrong impression.

"I assure you I am not. And there's nothing for you to apologize for. None of this is your fault." She was taken aback by my declaration, and then, something startled her. "What? What's wrong?"

"You're breathing," Now it was my turn to be surprised. She had known that I was holding my breath. Of course she noticed. She lives among vampires. "How are you in control? Before…you didn't even…" Sshe trailed off.

"Your blood, it was in the room before and I wasn't prepared. This time I was and it's not so bad." I smiled at her. It was only half true what I had just said. I sobered up quickly and delivered the next words with as must intensity as I had. "But if I run, don't take it the wrong way, okay? And if I tell you to run, you have to listen to me."

Her mouth opened slightly and her eyes glossed over as she looked at me. Her heart quickened and her blush deepened. She nodded weakly. Was I scaring her? I was suddenly worried.

"You don't have to be afraid of me. I won't hurt you," I had to convince her that I was safe, but a small part of that statement was directed inward. I was still fighting hard to keep the thirst at bay.

"I know," was all she said and we stood in silence for and immeasurable amount of time. She really wasn't afraid of me. I could see the truth in her eyes. Then what did it all mean? Her pulse, the blushing, the way her voice sounded, it all sounded like fear, but she wasn't afraid. It was so frustrating not being able to pull the words from her mind. I thought it was getting easier, but it was impossibly annoying not to know what she was thinking.

I looked up at the thoughts coming at me. Demetri and Felix from what I heard. They were following her scent, but Demetri, having the power to find anyone anywhere, knew he was coming up on me and had vicious thoughts of what he was going to do to me if he found he had failed at guarding the girl because of me. I ran past Bella and stopped in front of her in a crouch. I felt the growl that had been building up in my chest rip through the silence as I heard Felix's disposition towards her. It was disgusting, the pleasure he got from making her tremble. I could see his thoughts clearly in my mind. I couldn't get rid of it! Him grabbing her wrists just a little too hard, twisting her body into him. His thoughts of how she smelled when he touched her and how her heart would race in fear was too much to bear.

I turned to look at Bella and she looked truly frightened. Was it because of me? Demetri and Felix came to a sudden halt crouching with me between them and their prize. I turned back and felt a growl release from my lips, but this would not turn out well for Bella or myself. I had to calm down for her. It was so hard to keep my control. They lunged at me and took me down. It was all I could do to not fight back. I knew that if I did they would have a reason to tear me to shreds. I had to let them have there fun in beating me. I could vaguely hear a girl's voice in the background.

"Stop!" she was crying for them to stop. It was so hard to concentrate. My instincts were fighting to take over, but I couldn't let that happen. But _why_ couldn't I let that happen? Bella! I opened my eyes to see her trying to fight off Demetri. What was she doing?! She had to know that they weren't going to hurt her. Aro would have them slaughtered.

"Bella, Stop fighting! It'll be okay!" She did what I asked with tears streaming down her face. I hoped with everything I had that I was right. Her reaction didn't make sense to me. I couldn't pull anything from the beastly henchmen's minds to constitute that much fear in her.

Felix pulled me up to my feet when he was finally satisfied he'd taught me a lesson. He left Demetri to lead Bella and me to Aro's chamber. I heard Carlisle's and Aro's thoughts as we walked. Aro was furious, as was Carlisle, but my father's thoughts revolved around getting through to Aro calmly. The sounds of their conversation broke through to everyone else as the door opened.

"There must be a mistake, Aro. Edward would never intentionally go after her." I gave Carlisle a quizzical look. '_Alice saw the situation and called me. I made it so I happened upon Felix when he was informing Aro._'

"Intentionally or not, he was found in an attacking position when my guards found them. I will hear him out as you ask, but there will be consequences for his actions."

"I've done nothing wrong, Aro," I interrupted. Aro looked at me half amused.

"Really, Edward? You think harming young girls in deserted hallways does not constitute wrong? Do you think it is perfectly acceptable to attack where you should be still?" His speech lost any hint of amusement by the last word.

"He was defending me," it was Bella who spoke. She looked at Aro with determination. "We were talking; just talking. I was the one who ran off. When Demetri and Felix came upon us he ran in front of me to protect me." She looked at me then with so many emotions in her eyes. There was thankfulness, admiration, and apology in that fleeting moment and I all I wanted to do was reach out to her and tell her it would be okay. She turned back to Aro. "You can read his thoughts. What was he thinking when he found us?"

Aro truly did look amused now. He knew exactly what Felix was thinking, but he made the show of reading his thoughts anyway. "Ah, I see, precious child. I hope you will accept my apologies, Edward. I'm very protective of her as you no doubt know." His eyes were gleaming. "Please, tell me how you did it. How did you resist her?"

"I have self control," I said dryly. "And her blood wasn't in the room."

"Yes, yes, of course. But it must have been very painful for you."

I looked at Bella when I spoke to let her know that it was okay. I didn't want to upset her anymore than I had. She was already looking in my direction. "It was bearable. And the conversation was enjoyable." I gave her a small half smile and her eyes went almost unfocused like they had before and her heart rate increased. I looked away, but out of the corner of my eye, I could see her blushing as she recovered her faculties.

Aro and Carlisle both had thoughts of intrigue in the scene that was playing out before them, but I paid them no attention. Bella, who had been standing across the room from where I was, walked toward me and came to a stop almost beside me, facing the door. She was looking down at the floor, but as she reached me she looked into my eyes. Her brow was furrowed as if she were concentrating on something and she gave me a timid smile. She placed a hand on my shoulder which sent a shock through my system. I couldn't identify all the feelings I felt in that moment, it was so wonderful, powerful, confusing.

"Thank you, for trying to defend me and for…our conversation. You were very honorable on both counts. Thank you." She turned her head back to the door and continued walking, but paused when she had reached it and turned to face Aro. "I will wait in my room for my punishment, Master Aro. My apologies for scaring you." And she was gone.


	7. Questions Answered

~*~Questions Answered~*~

Once back in our room and out of range for any eavesdroppers, Carlisle advised me to call Alice. I knew she would be worried so I acted on his suggestion without hesitation. She answered on the first ring.

"Edward! I'm so sorry! When I saw it I didn't even think of them! They must not have known when I saw or I would have seen them! I'm so sorry! Are you okay?! He didn't hurt you, did he? What about Aro, are you going to be punished?! How's Bella? I think that I saw she was alright, but it all happened so fast, I don't know! Are you…" she was talking a mile a minute and I grew more suspicious with each word.

When I finally interrupted her I spoke in a flat tone. "Alice," she stopped immediately. "What did you see?" There was more silence. "Alice, I just had to test my self discipline more than once in the last hour. What. Did. You. See?"

"Well…ugh, don't get all upset, okay, Edward? I was only trying to help!"

"Alice."

"Okay! I saw a lot of things, but it all boiled down to you running into Bella. I didn't see the two goons until they realized she wasn't in her room and decided to find her. I tried to call you, but **_you_** left your phone off!"

"Why would you do that Alice?! Do you realize I could have killed her?! Do you know what that would have done to me?!" The words flowed out of my mouth before I could think and I didn't realize that they were true until after I'd said them.

"That's exactly why I knew it would be okay. You care too much about her to do anything to her."

"How can I care about her, Alice? I don't know her!"

"Well, you must have decided something in regard to how you feel about her, or I wouldn't have…" she stopped suddenly and I could hear the panic in her silence. "Uh, it's time for school! I gotta go!"

"Or you wouldn't have what, Alice?"

"I'll pick up your homework for you!"

"Alice!" But she was already gone.

Ah! What was she not telling me?! She put Bella in danger for some unfathomable reason, because of a silly vision that gave her the notion that I care for the girl! How could that be possible? I don't know the slightest thing about her; beside the fact that she's kindhearted, and brave, and open, and her cheeks blush easily, and you can see straight into her soul by looking in her eyes, and she's fragile, more fragile than a human should be because of what she's been through, but she's also strong because of it. Before I knew what happened I was listing all of the things I knew about Isabella Swan and I couldn't deny that Alice was right.

I needed to be alone, and if I was going to be seeing Bella at all, I needed to hunt. I was out till dawn trying to clear my head, but the more I thought about what was happening, the more confused I made myself. I decided being alone probably wasn't the best idea. I ran back to the room and collapsed on the couch with my head in my hands.

Carlisle came over and sat in the chair next to me. His thoughts were sympathetic, but for the most part he tried to concentrate on keeping his mind silent. He wasn't quite mastering it, but I was grateful for what he was attempting.

"Thank you. But I think we need to talk about what's happening here."

"We can wait, Edward. I haven't even talked to Aro about the prophecy yet."

"It's clear that Bella's the one. Or, at least, that he thinks she is. I can't hear her mind and neither can Aro. None of their powers work on her, but that doesn't mean it's true, right? I can't see her as dangerous. She's so…fragile."

"You know as well as I do that when she changes, she'll be something else completely."

"No, she won't. Yes, she'll be stronger and most likely have powers, but she's kind and innocent. I can see it in her eyes, Carlisle. She can't be what he thinks she'll be!"

"I know you…care for her, Edward," he said with sympathy, "but we have to look at this from all sides."

"All sides? All sides is she's been ripped away from her life to become a prisoner among vampires. All sides is she has her blood drawn from her veins every day and it makes her weak… not only her body, but her soul. All sides is she knows what they are and she knows they're going to make her just like them. All sides is she would have rather me killed her today than to have to go back to her life here. You didn't see her in that corridor. She's given up all hope, Carlisle."

'_Not all hope, son._' And then he replayed the night through his eyes—when she spoke up to Aro with authority, when she thanked me with a smile, when she left and bravely accepted Aro's power to punish her—all the while thinking of her strength and the light in her eyes when she looked at me.

I looked at him with an emotion I didn't recognize or maybe it was more than one. I was grateful that he showed me, scared that Aro was right, happy that I brought her…something, at least, if it wasn't hope, pained that she needed to stand up for my sake, proud that she could and did.

This girl was turning my life upside down and there was nothing I could do to stop it. Part of me didn't want to. My thoughts were interrupted by Heidi's as she was coming to escort us to Aro's chamber, yet again. Carlisle was about to say something about my feelings for the girl.

"I hope Esme's doing well on her own, also. It would have been nice if she could have come."

'_Is someone coming?_' I nodded. "I do miss her dreadfully."

Carlisle's face fell slightly at the truth of the statement. He hated to be away from her, but whatever was happening here was important and needed to be dealt with. There was a rap on the door and a seductive voice behind it. Heidi's power of persuasion was a useful gift to have when dealing with unruly subjects. Without a strong mind, she could have you do her bidding without a second thought.

"Aro would like to see you both, to pick up your earlier discussions." Carlisle and I could both resist her with some concentration, but fortunately, we didn't even have to try. We wanted very much to pick up on our disrupted conversation.

When we entered the room I noticed that the furniture had been rearranged in the center of the room with the third chair replaced by an antique loveseat. The coffee table stood in the center of the circle of seats with tea and cookies. At the same time, I noticed that the chairs were occupied by Aro and Bella and Jane was standing next to Aro's chair with an evil grin on her face. Bella looked weak and I realized that the refreshments were for more than just enjoyment. Her blood had been drawn.

I wasn't prepared to see her there and more than that I wasn't prepared to smell her. My throat was immediately on fire. Even with hunting, her scent hit me with more power than a freight train. I came to an abrupt stop and halted my breathing at once.

Aro gave no hint through is thoughts that she would be in the room with him. It was as if he were trying to get me killed. Bella looked up at our entrance and smiled a full genuine smile at me. She was happy to see me.

I was in better control than I could have thought of my urges around her, but if there was any doubt at all, that smile made it impossible for me to give in to the monster trying to break free. I swallowed down the venom, pushed back the burning and smiled back, just as sincerely. Jane's face fell into an angry pout. Aro just seemed amused.

"Thank you, Jane dear, that will be all." She stared at him incredulously for a fraction of a second and stomped out of the room slamming the door behind her. I was pleased with myself.

Aro gestured for us to take a seat; I took the one across from Bella. Carlisle was uncomfortable with discussing Bella's fate in front of her, but I could see from Aro's thoughts that he had been grooming her for greatness since they… attained her. She knew exactly what he thought she was.

"She knows everything, Carlisle. It wouldn't be fair to discuss things without her," she looked at me with a small smirk and suspicion in her eyes. I had to laugh. "I read minds. Carlisle wasn't sure if you knew anything and he didn't want to scare you." Her smirk lessened slightly and her brows furrowed.

"How did you know that I did know everything? You can't read my mind." I raised my brows and smirked at her surety in her defenses. She answered my expression, but her tone was a little worried now. "No one can use their gifts on me. You can't, can you?"

I smiled at her begrudgingly. "No," I sighed. "I can't. I pulled the information from Aro's thoughts."

She visibly relaxed at the fact that I couldn't hear her mind, which made me all the more frustrated that I couldn't.

"And so, Carlisle, dear friend, it seems you have been correct in two theories thus far. It makes me interested to know if you have anymore." I shot Carlisle a look to let him know that Aro was going to ask for his thoughts.

"Let us focus on the two at hand, first, old friend. There's more than enough to keep us busy with those for a while." Carlisle smiled warmly at Aro. The Volurian ruler saw through his diversion, but said nothing. Carlisle looked kindly to the marvelous girl sitting across from me. "Bella, you know who you are believed to be?"

"I do. Master Aro told me that I'm powerful. I'm supposed to be more powerful than any other thing in this world. He said that there was a prophecy that declared my power and control over all around me." She delivered the majority of her answer to the ground, only looking up to see if he had any reaction, I assumed. "And then there's the light. It's supposed to be the key to harnessing my…dominance. He thinks it's my soul, but my soul will disappear when I become one of them." There was the smallest hint of despair in the last word. It broke my stilled heart.

"I don't believe that, Bella. I may be the only one of us that thinks otherwise, but I do not think that." Carlisle spoke kindly, but his thoughts were worried if a soul such as Bella's could survive the destruction that Aro had in mind for her raw power. However, his words seemed to comfort a little.

"What does that mean about my soul? It's part of who I am, so why is it the key to what I'll become? I already have my soul, so what good does it do to show it in the prophecy? I don't understand any of it." Carlisle thought for a moment.

"I don't know if it's you're soul or not Bella. It's just a theory…there's another idea I had about it that I've been contemplating over since I got your phone call, Aro." I stiffened as I saw his mind. He had been focusing his attention between Aro and Bella, but shot a sympathetic look in my direction. Then he turned back to Bella. "It's not true by any means, but it's an unfortunate possibility. It could be that the light could be the key to destroying you." He looked at the pained look on Bella's face and amended his previous statement.

"To be perfectly honest, Bella, I don't know anything. Everything I've said about this subject is all guesswork. I wish I could tell you for sure, but I simply don't have the answers."

Bella's face was perfectly blank and could only guess how hard she had to keep it like that. Her expressions were usually written across her face. I wanted so much to comfort Bella. She was no doubt looking for answers as to why this was happening to her.

I hadn't been paying attention to the thoughts outside of the room, so I hadn't noticed Marcus's apathetic thoughts until the door opened revealed him. He hesitated for a fraction of a second as he perceived some sort of bright relationship aura between Bella and myself. He touched Aro's palm as he reached his brother and showed him the arrival of a visitor with information on a violated law and the link that he saw between me and Bella.

Aro looked at me suspiciously, not pleased at my strengthening connection with his puppet. I nearly cringed at the way he thought about Bella.

"Ah, yes brother, I see. Carlisle, would you care to hold our conversation for just a few short moments? You may stand with Bella to the side while I conduct my business." We did as he ordered and the informant was escorted in with Jane. The vampire seemed fairly nervous as he entered the room, but his disposition changed as soon as he caught Bella's scent.

Before I had time to think about what I was doing, I had Bella wrapped in my arms, shielding her from the oncoming events. Before the vampire had time to get to us he was on the ground writhing in pain. Bella had her face buried in my chest, but seemed perfectly calm otherwise. How could they let a reasonably new vampire anywhere near Bella's scent?! Controlled vampires crave her strongly enough, not to mention my own disposition toward her blood! Have they no sense of caution?!

Aro's voice rang out above the screaming. "Take him to the west quarter sitting room! I will deal with him later." His thoughts were furious at the incompetence of his guard. He turned to see Bella in my grasp and I went rigid when I saw it; the vision of the tiny figure of insurmountable power surrounded by a magnificent dark kind of light. Save for in his mind he had replaced the vague figure with the beautiful, fragile girl in my arms, the light had transformed into myself.

'_Could he really be…_?' he immediately recovered his barriers, but it was too late. I saw what was in him mind. Before I could give any recognition that I had seen or heard anything, Bella went limp in my arms.

"Bella? Bella!" I had her across the room and lying on the couch in the time it would take for a human to even think of the idea. Carlisle came to my side, but Aro stayed stunned where he was. Whether it was because of his unconscious key to supremacy or the revelation he had just had I didn't know. He had closed me off from his mind and all I could hear was gibberish.

"Carlisle, what do we do?!"

My father checked Bella's pulse and laid a hand across her forehead. "It'll be fine, Edward. She's just fainted. See? She's coming to."

Bella's eyes fluttered open. I struggled to keep my voice calm.

"Bella are you okay? What happened?" She blushed a deep crimson as she looked, shocked, into my eyes.

"I…uh…forgot to breathe." I sighed in relief and chucked at the excuse. She was absolutely adorable, and at that moment I realized that my thoughts and feeling ran a lot deeper than an obligation or caring something about her. Somewhere in the past few days I fell completely and totally in love with Isabella Swan.


	8. One Good Thing

~*~One Good Thing~*~

My eyes stayed locked with Bella's for an immeasurable moment, but when she shifted her eyes to Aro it seemed not long enough. I realized in that second that I may have overstepped my bounds, so I moved back several feet to give her some space.

My throat burned with fury, but the pain was hardly the first thing on my mind. I had never touched her before, but in an idiotic attempt to save her from something that wasn't a problem in the first place with Jane being there, I pulled her into my body and held her as close as I could without hurting her breakable frame. It was a magical feeling, which turned sour when I thought of her not wanting me to touch her. How could she? Just two days ago I had tried to make her my meal. It didn't matter that I loved her; she could never be with such a monster.

"Master Aro, I'm…I'm rather tired. May I be excused to my bedroom chamber?" her voice was faint with shock.

"Yes, dear one. I think I, too, need to relax before we reconvene. Excuse me," he left the three of us staring after him with insignificant thoughts taking up a large space in his mind.

It was too late, though. I already knew what he was trying to hide from me. Bella got up slowly, looking extremely confused by the situation and turned to look me in the eye, a smile lighting her face.

"I find myself in your debt once again, Edward." The way her voice spoke my name sent my heart soaring. "Thank you. And you too, Carlisle. Thank you both for… for being here." She left the room and Carlisle and I made our way back to our suite.

Carlisle was questioning what on earth had just happened. He knew it was more than being upset over Bella. Aro had been confident and angry when I had threatened Bella's life in the same way as the young vampire had just done, but this time he seemed almost scared. But he was too excited to be scared.

I shook my head too let him know that it wasn't safe to talk yet.

It took an hour for our room to be clear of being overheard. Even though my mind could hear farther than vampiric super hearing, I couldn't locate for sure where a mind was. I thought it best to wait until I was sure we were safe from being listened in upon.

"I'm the light." Carlisle gaped at me, eyes wide with shock. "I saw the prophecy in Aro's mind. He saw me holding Bella and the guard he had been holding on his thoughts disappeared in that moment."

"My God. This is…How do you feel about this, Edward?"

"How do I feel?! If everything is real and she is the one in the prophecy, then I'm either the key to controlling her or destroying her! How do you think I feel?! I love her and I…" I was so angry that I said it all before thinking. Carlisle didn't seem shocked, though.

"Yes, you do, don't you?" he sighed. "Well, this rather complicates things, doesn't it?" I glared at my father.

Complicated was an understatement. He didn't care that I was directing my anger at him, which just made me feel guilty. I lowered my eyes to the ground and set my head in my hands. Carlisle was the most compassionate, caring person I knew and he would do anything in his power to help. "I may be wrong. The theories I come up with are only logical guesses. There's no fact behind them."

"You're theories are usually right, Carlisle."

"Usually, but this is uncharted territory, Edward. Nothing like this has ever happened before. Other times when I theorize I have some basis for the opinions I come up with. This is different. It looks like we'll just have to see where this all takes us. We can't destroy her for something she might not be and, if Aro knows you're the other half to the prophecy, we can't very well leave. He'll be waning to keep an eye on you." His words were meant to ease my mind, but I felt no ease in the fact that Aro would be watching me or the fact that destroying Bella was even an option. It wasn't.

"I guess we're staying for a while then." I looked up and noticed his eyes. "You need to hunt."

"I know. I was going to go tonight. Do you need to?"

"I'm okay. I can go again tomorrow. I don't think I need to hunt every night." His thoughts were debating on whether he should go or stay with me. "I think I need to be alone right now."

He conceded to my wishes and left me alone. My thoughts raced around everything that had happened in the last three days. This amazing, breakable girl was destined to be an all powerful fiend. Her blood called to me in ways never heard of.

I had fallen madly in love with her and I was the key to her destruction, whether it be by killing her or controlling her, I still had no clue. Early afternoon had, by this time, turned into late evening and being wrapped up in my thoughts, I hardly noticed the tiny _thump_ing coming up the corridor. I relied far too much on my ability to hear the thoughts coming toward me that the knock on the door froze me in place.

I knew exactly who was standing outside my door by the lack of voices floating through my head. I was torn between excitement and terror. She had come to see me and my dead heart felt as though it would start beating again, but I was to be her demise. She wasn't safe around me.

"I know your in there, I saw Carlisle leave the castle without you four hours ago. I'll pick the lock if you don't let me in." I had to smile at her determination. I took a deep breath and steeled myself for her overwhelming fragrance. I then unlocked the door and moved to the other side of the room waiting for her to come in.

She entered the chamber quickly, but quietly and closed the door gently behind her. She stayed facing the door for a few seconds and then slowly turned to face me. She looked nervous, but firm in whatever reason brought her to see me. The seconds it took her to speak were torture. How I wished I could read her mind! She finally decided to let me in on her thoughts.

"I want to know what's wrong with Aro." Of course she would want to know the thing I didn't want to tell her. I pressed my lips together. It was all I could do to not give her anything and everything she wanted. She could tell that I wasn't going to answer. "I know you heard what he was thinking and I know it was about me. I have a right to know."

"I do know. I really wish you wouldn't ask." I didn't want to tell her, but I couldn't lie to her either. She furrowed her brow and looked at me with utter frustration. I could see her eyes starting to moisten, but not to the point of tears just yet.

"Why? Is it really so bad?"

"I don't know, but it might be and I don't want to see you hurt." Her eyes softened although her brow was still furrowed in silent question. She walked slowly across the room to where I was standing, stopping just inches from my body.

"Please. Whatever it is, I can handle it." I crumbled under her sweet powerful eyes and braced myself for her reaction to what I was going to tell her.

"He thinks he's found the light and I think he may be right." Her eyes widened in shock, but she quickly recovered herself taking a deep breath. I hoped she would stop with the small piece I had given her, but it was a futile hope.

"What is it?" I hesitated, not knowing how to tell her.

"It's…It's a person. I…I know who the person is, but please don't be afraid, okay? I saw it and I couldn't believe what I was seeing. It all happened so fast and then you fainted and I didn't have time to even think about it till later. I don't know how to tell you without scaring you and really wish that it weren't true, but it is and I…" I was stopped in my rambling when she rested her hand upon my cheek. It sent tiny shocks through my skin where she touched me and my breathing turned slightly ragged. Her eyes were calm and reassuring and there was a small, almost non-existent smile playing at her lips.

"It's okay. Just tell me who it is."

"Me." Her smile disappeared and her brow furrowed again, but she kept her hand where it was and lightly stroked my check with her thumb.

I closed my eyes relishing in the sensation and sighed. I rested my hand atop hers and turned my face to kiss her palm. Her heart skipped a beat and then sped up. I opened my eyes worried that I had crossed a line. Why had I just done that?! But she was wearing a shy smile and a beautiful, deep blush stained her cheeks.

"Aren't you afraid of me?" I asked anxiously. She laughed lightly and answered my question.

"You're the first person in a year that I haven't been afraid of. I feel safe with you." I turned away in shame, breaking our contact. I missed it immediately, but how could she feel safe, with me, of all people?!

"You should be afraid. I'm a monster." She grabbed my arm as if to force me to face her. I allowed her to do so, not wanting her to harm herself. She looked angry.

"Don't you ever say that. You are not a monster. They are monsters!" she pointed in the general direction of where the Guard is usually stationed. "You are kind, and controlled, and beautiful, and you are nothing like them!" I stared at her in shock as an angry tear rolled down her cheek. I didn't know what to say to her outburst. The emotion behind it was overwhelming enough, but her words sent my thoughts into a frenzy.

A few more tears streamed down her cheeks and she turned from me trying to scrub them away. I didn't understand why she had such a strong reaction to what I had said, but it pained me to see her so upset. All I wanted to do was to make her feel better, to take away her hurt. I reached out a hand and gently turned her to me.

Her face was down so that all I could see was the rich blush of her cheeks. I pulled her chin up with one hand so that I could look into her beautiful eyes and I wiped away her tears with the other. I repositioned both hands to cup her delicate face. Her heart rate increased rapidly and her breathing hitched.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what you see in me, but I won't hurt you again. Please forgive me." I was anxious to hear her answer. I hurt the one thing in the world that made this existence a little less painful. I had no right to ask for forgiveness, but I needed it.

"There's nothing to be forgiven," she took a step forward burying her face in my chest and wrapped her arms around my waist. I was stunned and hesitated for a fraction of a second before I slowly rested my own arms around her delicate shoulders.

Her breath was hot against my icy skin and my own breathing became uneven. We stayed that way for minute after minute after minute until finally I heard the thoughts of my father returning from his hunt. I slowly pulled myself from my love's arms. I knew that her feelings could be no where near as strong as mine, but she was saddened by our separation and it elated me. I smiled down at her.

"Carlisle's almost here. Why don't we move to the couch and wait for him." She nodded and we sat on the antique couch waiting for my father to enter the room. I could hear him hesitate when he noticed Bella's scent and grow worried when he realized where the scent was heading.

'_Is she there, Edward? Are you okay to be around her? You didn't_…'

"No, I didn't," I spoke with a little more volume and edge than necessary. Bella looked at me, confused by my outburst. I pointed to my head and spoke more kindly. "I'm talking with my father." She turned away, a smile creeping up the corners of her mouth.

'_I'm sorry, Edward, I shouldn't have entertained the idea_' He walked through the door just after he _spoke_ to me, looked at Bella and smiled warmly. "Bella, how wonderful it is to see you again. But it is rather late to be visiting."

"There's no need to apologize. There is a basis for you worry, after all. She came to speak to me about what happened with Aro."

"Ah, I see. And what do you think of it all Bella?" '_Did you tell her the truth?_' I nodded infinitesimally. '_All of it?_' I nodded again. Bella was trying unsuccessfully to hide a smirk and gave me a sideways glance. Did she miss nothing?

"I understand what he may be, what I may be, and I don't care anymore." Carlisle and I both stared at her, eyes wide with shock and questions. "If I am destined to become some terrible monster to destroy peace in this world, then, there's nothing I can really do about it. And I take comfort it knowing that Edward may be able to stop me."

I marveled at the wonderful creature bestowed upon my life and, although, I internally winced at the mention of my playing a part in her death, she amazed me with the strength of courage and conviction she emanated with her statement. She truly was one of a kind. Carlisle's thoughts mirrored my own, but without the added adoration of my love for her. How could anyone so good be capable of the disastrous future Aro had planned?

"You're very brave, Bella," Carlisle said in and awed whisper.

She laughed timidly. "Hardly. There's nothing I can do. It's just easier if I stop trying to deny it."

"Still, to know what you know, it must be so hard. I can't imagine how life must be for you." She looked sideways at me.

"It's not so bad anymore."

'_I think she loves him, too,_' I heard my father say in an errant thought. "We'll do all we can to help you, Bella." I looked at him and he knew what I heard. '_Yes, I think, if she's not there yet, she'll be there soon. She loves you, Edward._'

"Thank you, Carlisle." Her eyes closed and I could tell she was tired.

"You should get some sleep." I wanted her to rest, but I didn't want to let her go just yet. "My I walk you back to your room?" She smiled and took my hand, leading me out into the corridor.

She didn't release my hand once we were on our way and I didn't want her to. I just wanted to touch her, be connected to her, no matter what the consequences might be. I loved her and there as a chance that she might love me, too. We walked in silence for some time before she looked up at me.

"I'm glad you're here, Edward. I don't care what may happen in the future. Right now, you make everything okay." She blushed and looked back to the ground. It was the most adorable thing I'd ever seen. I raised our interlocked hands and brushed her cheek with the back of my fingers. She looked up at me.

"I like that, you know. The blush, I mean. When I first saw you, you were so pale. It was hard to see. But when you blush, it brings a light to your face." She smiled and turned away shyly. I knew that she was okay with whatever the prophecy meant, but I wasn't. "I don't know what my part to play is in all this, but, I swear, I won't hurt you. I can't." She looked up at me again without a smile.

"You may not have a choice in the matter." I stopped in my tracks and turned her to me, but she spoke before I could. "Don't. Don't you see? I don't care. I've lived this life for so long, sometimes I forget what life was before I came here. I've had nothing. My life has meant nothing. And then you come along and everything is brighter, different." She took up my free hand with hers. "If I'm not the monster everyone thinks I am then, that's wonderful, but if I am, then there's hope that, maybe, that monster won't ruin who I was. And while I wait to see what I'll be, I have you.

"You make the world I thought was cruel and unforgiving into a place that I can finally bear. For the first time in a very long time, I have hope. I understand that you won't be here forever, but we're connected somehow and I know the future planned out for me will have something good in it. It will have you. And now, when I go to sleep, maybe it won't be a nightmare that keeps me company. Don't you see? You've given me everything. Don't think that you're anything, but the best part of my life. Please."

I couldn't say anything. I wanted to tell her that I didn't deserve her or the way she thought about me, but I had no confidence in that argument anymore. How could I deny what she had just said when I could tell that in her heart, she believed it all to be true. She didn't see me as a monster or a beast. She saw me as good, and I couldn't take away her happiness in what she knew to be true.

"Okay," was all I could say.

She searched my eyes for a moment to be sure that I wasn't just trying to pacify her and then she relaxed with a small satisfied smile. We walked the rest of the way in comfortable silence stealing small glances here and there and smiling when we caught each other's eye. It was ridiculous. I was acting like a silly schoolgirl, but I didn't care. As ridiculous as it was, it was also wonderful.

We finally reached her room and she invited me in to see her own little space. The only thing she had that was hers.

"I'm not sure if I should, Bella. I don't want to cause trouble for you."

"Half the guard left to deal with a law breaker and Aro is too shocked by what happened today to check in on me. It's okay." She smiled and led me inside.

It was fairly simply adorned, but with the lavish colors that the rest of the castle was draped with. There was a bed, a desk and chair, a small sofa next to a caged window and walls and walls of books. Everything was neat and orderly. The only things that seemed out of place were a sheriff's badge and an out of balance, brightly colored, beaded bracelet sitting on the desktop. I walked over to look at them more carefully.

"They're to remind me…of my parents. The second time I was able to sneak out, I took them from a little trinket stand. My dad was a sheriff and my mom, well, this just reminded me of her. They help me remember when I can't picture their faces. I wish I knew if they were okay."

"They are. When they lost you it devastated them, but I think maybe they're closer now, because they are the only ones who knew you the way they did." Bella looked at me questioningly, nearly on the verge of tears. "I live in Forks."

"You…" she was gasping for air and collapsed on the couch, but recovered fairly quickly. She smiled shaking her head with silent tears rolling down her face. "Thank you. It's nice to know that they have each other at least." And then she broke down.

I sat down next to her, pulling her onto my lap, and let her cry. It was heartbreaking. I wanted to take her pain away, but all I could do was sit there and watch her cry. I was useless. Eventually, she calmed down and looked into my eyes. She laughed sheepishly.

"I'm sorry about that. I don't know what came over me. Thank you, though, for everything. For being here and for telling me that and for letting me cry; for everything."

"There's no need for you to apologize. You've been so strong; it's okay that you let yourself go this once." She ignored me.

"It's kind of funny to think about. I would have met you, anyway, if I had never stepped foot in Italy. We were always meant to be." She suddenly looked horrified by what she had just said and a deep blush swept over her cheeks. "I mean, about the prophecy. Our paths were destined to cross."

"I wouldn't have it any other way." She stared into my eyes and then wrapped her arms around my neck, lowered her head to my chest, and sighed. Did she really mean it? That she thought we were destined to be together. It was the only conclusion I could come up with and it gave me the courage to broach the subject. "Bella?"

She looked up from where she was resting with questioning eyes.

"I wanted to ask you about something. Or maybe tell you about something. I… well the thing is, Bella…" I was having a far more difficult time with this than I thought I would.

She smiled at me reassuringly and put her hand to my face, stroking my cheek with her thumb. "Just say it. It's okay."

And before I could stop myself, I blurted it out like an idiot. "I love you. What I mean to say is, it's okay if you don't feel the same and I, ah, what am I saying?! I'm sorry! I don't know what came over me! I…"

I was cut off by a pair of perfect full lips pressed against mine. It was sensational, except for the ripping burn that threatened to overtake me. I gently pulled Bella away from me and stared into her confused eyes, not breathing.

"I'm sorry. I thought…if you want to leave I understand…" I put a hand on her lips to stop her. Finally I had control and let out my breath.

"Don't apologize. You just took me by surprise, that's all."

"Oh," was all she said. Her eyes were so beautiful and calm, but I could almost see a hint of, what, pain? Fear? Ah! Why was her mind blocked from me?!

"Please don't be afraid. I stopped myself. I'm much stronger that I ever could have thought." Then her eyes turned angry. She was so adorable when she was mad.

"Will you stop doing that? I thought we cleared this up? I'm not afraid of you, I was just worried that maybe I…" She trailed off not meeting my gaze. Maybe she what?! Did she blame herself for what just happened? How could she?! She kissed me! It was wonderful! She is wonderful!

I lifted her chin so I could see her mind, the only way I knew how, through her eyes. She seemed embarrassed. "You can tell me."

"I thought maybe I misunderstood…what you said." I wanted to prove her wrong, to kiss her again, but how could I with the way I felt the last time. I took a deep breathe to prepare myself.

"You need to stay completely still. I want to show you how I feel, but I still crave your blood far more than any other vampire. Can you do that? Can you stay still?"

She nodded. I took another deep breathe, but this time, it was to savor her scent. She did smell fantastic. I wanted to kiss her right then, but I was still a little afraid of losing control. And not just from the bloodlust. I touched her lips with the tips of my fingers.

Her breath shuddered making my stomach do back flips. Her lips were soft and warm. They sent shocks throughout my body and it became very difficult to keep my own breathing even. She was so beautiful.

I placed my hands on the sides of her face and leaned in slowly. I hesitated a moment, taking in her scent one more time, and then our lips touched and hers molded to the shape of mine. The feeling sent me over the moon and the stars. I pulled back to see her reaction and it worried me. She looked in a trance and then I noticed that her chest wasn't moving.

"Breathe, Bella!" She let out a shaky laugh along with her breath. I couldn't help but smile at her reaction. It was nice to know that I had the same affect on her that she had on me.

She let out a yawn and her eyes drooped slightly. "It's time for bed."

I lifted her into my arms and walked at human speed to the royal style bed. She kept her eyes locked with mine until I set her down. I pulled the blankets around her small body and tucked her in with a kiss on the forehead. I could not touch her enough!

"Good night, my sweet Bella." I turned to leave, but her hand caught mine.

"Do you have to go?" she looked so sad. I stroked her cheek lightly with the tips of my fingers.

"It would not be a good idea for me to stay. Besides, I'm sure Carlisle is worried about me."

"Okay," she sighed. I placed another swift kiss on her forehead and went to leave. She stopped me when I reached the door. "Wait! I forgot something." I waited for her to continue. The loveliest smile I had ever seen broke across her angelic face. She was breathtaking. "I love you, too," she said, and if my heart had been capable, it would have skipped a beat.


	9. No Choice

~*~No Choice~*~

I couldn't have stopped smiling if I had tried. She loved me! I knew that she must, but to hear her say it! It was the most spectacular feeling in the world. On the way back to my room a song entered my head. The notes flooded my senses and I knew it was her song…her lullaby. It mirrored what I saw in her, what I felt for her and I would have to share it with her as soon as I could. I wanted to share everything with her!

Carlisle was slightly worried that I wasn't back yet, but when I walked through the door and he saw my smile he relaxed and smiled himself. Apparently, I was contagious.

"I suppose it went well then?" he asked.

"She loves me. She loves _me_! Can you believe it?"

"You're the only one that ever thought you didn't deserve happiness. Out of everyone, Edward, you are the one that has deserved so much more. I'm happy you've found her."

"Me too, Carlisle. I think I need to hunt after all, though. I was able to control myself better than I thought, but I don't want to take any chances with her."

'_You were doing well. Did something happen?_' He dropped our conversation into his mind. I just beamed. My smile was permanently set into my stone face.

"She kissed me. I was phenomenal! But it was harder than just touching her or being in the same room because I was fighting more than just my desire for her blood. I had to fight with everything I had to stop kissing her."

'_You love her. Edward, I'm so happy. We will do everything in our power to protect her. It will be okay._'

"I know. She…explained something to me. I'm okay with what I am in her life. I know it will be okay." He smiled at me and I turned to go hunting.

I didn't hunt right away. I just ran…to no place in particular, in circles, even. I just ran. I felt the weight of the world lift from my shoulders and all I knew was Bella. Her smile made my heart swell, her voice made my breath stop, and her touch – oh her touch! – made my entire being alive with electricity. How had I been so lucky as to receive such a wondrous gift? I replayed the days since I met Bella in my head and decided I should call Alice.

"You're welcome," she answered on the first ring.

"You've still got a lot of explaining to do, but thank you."

"When are you going to learn to just trust me? Remember? Never bet against Alice." I laughed.

"Thank you. Truly, Alice, thank you."

"Yeah, I know. Ooh! I can't wait to meet Bella!"

"Alice, I don't know what's going to happen here," I said somberly.

"Shut up, Edward. I don't know when or where, but I will meet her. That much, I know. I saw it." I sighed, but I was almost relieved by what Alice said. If she were to meet Bella, then everything would work out. "I'm really happy for you, Edward."

"Thank you, Alice."

"Don't mention it."

We said goodbye and I decided it was time to hunt. I actually ended up finding a wild boar which finished off the hunt perfectly. It was late afternoon when I finally returned to the castle.

I was starting to head back to Carlisle when I heard the most heart breaking sound; Bella whimpering in fear. I ran faster than I'd ever run before. If they were hurting her I would kill them! I was at her bedside within seconds. She was having a nightmare. It almost pained me more knowing there was nothing I could do to fight off the monsters in her dreams.

"Mmmno, no please, not them too. I have enough, I swear." Her cheeks glistened with fresh tears as she begged.

"Bella. Bella, wake up." My voice seemed to calm her, but only slightly. I brushed a tangled lock of hair back from her face. "Bella, it's okay now. You're safe."

Her eyes fluttered open and her face twisted as a sob escaped her tiny body. She grabbed at my shirt, but there was no force behind her movements. I moved to lie on the bed next to her and pulled her into me. She cried for what seemed like forever and all I could do was hold her, feeling as useless as I had the night before.

Eventually, the noises stopped and I looked down to see her sleeping. I knew that emotions were tiring, especially for a human girl, but I was a little surprised how suddenly she fell into the deep sleep.

I pulled back to look at her. She was deathly pale and only the sound of her heartbeat convinced me otherwise. But when I listened to the beats they sounded odd. Her heart was weak and slow. I realized that there was a substantial amount of blood missing from her body. I didn't catch it at first because the freshly opened vein in her arm had sent her aroma flying through the air, but now that I was focusing my attention on the details, I could tell that Aro had pulled over half of her blood supply. That was why she was so frail. Why had he done that?! What was he thinking?! He could have killed her!

I was instantly furious and if it weren't for Bella making a small, unconscious whimper of protest every time I moved, I would have been in front of Aro that very second. I knew there was nothing I could do and that I would most likely be put to Jane's mercy if I made any inkling of threat, but I didn't think straight when I thought of them hurting her. She was so weak already and now she was barely strong enough to keep her heart beating. Why?! It didn't make any sense! If her power was so important to him, then why would he risk life her that way?!

"Edward…"

"Yes?" She didn't reply so I shifted to look at her. She whimpered again, but she was still fast asleep. My sweet Bella talked in her sleep. It was truly fascinating.

"I love you, Edward." My heart swelled with emotions too great to put into words. She had already told me, of course, but she dreamt of me and it was just amazing to hear her beautiful voice speak those words.

I stayed lying there with her wrapped up in my arms, humming a rough draft of her lullaby to her. She spoke a few words about several different things throughout the night and I took in every syllable. Listening to her talk was riveting.

As the night turned to morning, I could hear her beautiful heart becoming stronger and stronger with each beat. Bella would still be weak, but she was no longer on the verge of death. Her breathing deepened as she stirred into consciousness. Her eyes opened slightly and then popped wide with shock.

"Oh!" I couldn't help but smile at her expression. "It wasn't a dream! Or was it?" She poked me in the ribs, which did nothing, but make me laugh.

"I'm real, I promise. Are your dreams really so vivid?" She looked me over as if not completely convinced.

"Hmm. Sometimes. Are you really here?" I brushed my fingers across her cheek and smiled crookedly at her. A deep crimson flooded her cheeks at my touch. She was so absolutely charming.

"Yes, Bella love. I'm really here. I heard you having a nightmare last night. I came to fight off your attackers, but your head is impenetrable, as you already know." She laughed. It was a most exquisite sound.

"I have heard that before. I'm so glad you're here."

She snuggled closer to my chest and I held her for all it was worth. She was the love of my existence. She was the soul I didn't have. If it was the last thing I did, I would save her from all of this. She went stiff in my arms at once and stared up at me with fear in her eyes. What was the meaning of this? Was she afraid of me? I could hardly blame her, but it didn't make sense, right then. Her breathing became shallow and fast. She was hyperventilating.

"Bella! Bella, what's wrong?!"

"You have to go," she said climbing out of bed and heading to the closet. "They're going to come for me this morning and if they find you here, they'll hurt you. You have to leave." She saw the concerned look on my face and added, "I'll be fine, I promise."

"I won't leave you to face them on your own. I'll stay with you. I'll protect you."

She smiled sadly at me. "I may fear them, but they won't hurt me. Aro needs me. But the thing I fear most is losing you. Please, leave. Do it for me."

"Fine. I'll be back tonight."

"Only if it's safe. Promise me that you won't do anything stupid." I looked at her with frustration. This fragile little person was worried about _me_! I couldn't deny her, though.

"Fine, I'll be careful and if I can't do it…I'll _try_ not to do anything stupid." I laughed at the exasperated look on her face. "In the mean time," I cupped her face in my hands, "protect this for me."

I placed my lips on hers and listened to her heart race at my touch. I smiled against her lips and pulled back to look at her. She seemed in a daze and I laughed again. She was absolutely stunning in every facet of her being.

"Breathe, Bella." She let out her breath in a huff. "What am I going to do with you?"

"I haven't the slightest clue, but right now you're leaving so I can get dressed and have some peace of mind." She tried physically pushing me out the door to no avail. Just then, I heard _voices_ coming our way. Damn! They were coming for Bella. I growled, but it was more of a grunt of frustration than anything defensive. Their thoughts were relatively harmless, I just wasn't ready to let her go.

"Be safe," I whispered in her ear before brushing a kiss against her temple and disappearing from her room. I was back in my room within half a minute.

Carlisle looked up at me from the book he was reading, mentally noting the 'glow' lighting my features. "Long hunt. Find anything good?" I smirked at his thoughts. He knew exactly what I had been up to. Alice saw him worrying and informed him of my whereabouts.

I heaved a deep sigh. "Far more than good, Carlisle, I found something wonderful."

"You have no idea how happy I am for you, Edward." I looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Well, yes, I suppose you do know." He laughed. "Your mother is ecstatic."

Then he replayed his conversation with Esme. I sighed. My mother was such an endearing woman. I was sure that if she got the chance, she would love Bella. There was no way anyone could not love my Bella. She was exquisite.

"She's everything I never knew I wanted and more. I just wish I could have found her under better circumstances. I don't know how to help her, Carlisle. When I found her last night she was drained of more blood than was healthy. She was so frail and her heart was beyond weak. There was no excuse for it. If she hadn't needed me with her, I probably would have ruined everything and gotten myself killed."

"That's odd. I didn't think Aro would be so careless with something so precious to him."

"That's what scares me. What if he's planning something?"

"No, Alice would have seen it. Just be patient, Edward. I know it's hard. I'm trying to think of something, but she has no rights here." '_Not until she becomes a vampire._' I growled in protest.

"No! I won't allow them to ruin her! I'll steal her away! I will protect her!"

"Edward, don't be rash," my father said in a stern tone he rarely used. "I know you want to preserve her soul and I don't blame you, but she's going to become one of us whether you want her to or not. It's part of her destiny."

"That prophecy's a joke," I said flatly.

"That very well may be, but as long as she's human, she belongs to Aro. I'm trying, Edward, I really am, but I'm drawing blanks."

"I can't just sit here while they nearly kill her day after day, knowing that in the end, they intend to turn her into some sort of weapon. I can't and I won't." Carlisle looked at me with a pained expression.

'_You may not have a choice in the matter._'

I froze at the words; the same exact words Bella had used. I didn't have a choice. At those horrible words, I knew that nothing I did mattered. Someone was playing a cruel game with my life and endangering my sweet, beautiful Bella in the process.

I pictured an evil hag with strings of destiny, cutting and sewing, tying them in knots. I wanted to rip her limb from limb and then I cursed myself for actually considering finding and dismembering a figment of my imagination.

My father was about to continue our conversation, but halted his speech when I vehemently shook my head. I heard thoughts coming and going near to our room. It was the most traffic I'd picked up from our room since we'd arrived. It was odd. Nothing to be alarmed about, although, I was more than a little annoyed. This meant that I was going to have to stay away from Bella for the time being.

'_There's someone close?_' I nodded and furrowed my brow to let him know the quantity of those someones. '_I see. Well, I suppose we'll pick this up later._' I nodded in agreement.

I listened to the minds surrounding our room, but they were all thinking of strangely unimportant and frivolous things. It was making me highly uneasy. Carlisle could sense my discomfort.

'_Is something wrong? Is something happening?_' I shook my head, frustrated. I didn't know if anything was happening because every mind I could hear was blocking me.

The phone in my pocket started vibrating. It was Alice. The uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach got worse, but I couldn't exactly put her in danger. With all of the potential eavesdroppers, I couldn't risk anyone finding out about Alice. The vibrating finally stopped and then the room's landline started ringing not seconds later. I suddenly got very panicked. It had to be bad. I looked at Carlisle. He was thinking the same.

I took off to find a place safe enough to talk. This was not good at all. The vampires blocking their minds from me, and conveniently close enough to the room so that Carlisle and I couldn't talk freely. Alice frantically calling my cell phone, even though knowing that I wouldn't answer for anyone to listen. Something was very wrong. I finally reached an area out of hearing range. The phone was still buzzing.

"Alice, what happened?!"

"Edward! Edward, I'm so sorry! It was a spur of the moment decision! I couldn't see it until…Edward, I'm so sorry!"

"Alice! What is going on?! Please, calm down and tell me!"

"He's changing her, Edward!" I went cold. Bella, my sweet Bella. How could I have left her to that? "Edward, listen to me! You have to go be with her, but you have to remain calm. If you don't, it'll turn bad. Do you hear me?! But she needs you. They've left her to go through it alone. They're guarding her, but she's in the room by herself. You have to stay calm for her, Edward." There was silence. I couldn't speak. "Edward? Edward, say something!"

"I…I…Alice, I don't know what to do." It came out in barely a whisper.

"You need to talk to, Aro." I would do what ever she told me. "Damn it! It won't be enough. Tell him that you know what you are and you intend to comfort Bella. Yes, that will do it. He'll be hesitant, but he'll agree, I think. I can't get a clear picture, but I'm almost sure. Go, Edward. Be with her."

I shut the phone without another word and went to find Aro. Unfortunately, I came across Jane first. I knew, the second she saw me, what was coming. I braced myself for the pain and clamped my jaw. I would not give her the pleasure of my screams. The pain taking over my limbs crippled my thoughts. I almost lost it, but then I thought of Bella.

I focused all of my energy on keeping my mouth shut, for her. I vaguely registered voices and then the pain subsided. I laid there recovering for all of a second before getting to my feet. When I looked up, I saw Aro, wearing a mask of mixed frustration and amusement. Apparently he was impressed by my will to stay quiet.

"Edward! How wonderful to see you! What brings you out of your room?" he kept his thoughts guarded.

"I want to see Bella. I know you've turned her and I want to help her through it."

"Ah, I'm so sorry, Edward, but Bella is none of your concern."

"I know what I am, Aro. And if that's any indication then she is my concern." He searched my face to access if I was speaking truly of what I knew. "I'm your precious light."

"Well then," his tone was uncharacteristically flat. "I wasn't sure if you had caught that or not. You know then why I won't give in to your request."

"Please, Aro. You think I'll destroy her, but you saw through Marcus how much I love her. Let me be with her."

"Hmm…I want to believe you, dear boy, but your destiny is unclear to me." '_I could find out the easy way._' I stiffened. He wanted my thoughts. Alice must not have seen this. '_But, no, not yet._'

In some part of my mind I registered that it was odd that Aro should pass up reading my mind now that he had no worry of slipping with Bella, but I was too focused on getting to her that I pushed the thought away.

"Very well, but know that I am keeping a very close eye on you. One step out of line and I will not hesitate to destroy you."

"I understand," I said with conviction. He sighed.

"Let's be off then." And he led the way to my beautiful angel who was screaming out in excruciating pain.


	10. Everything Changes

~*~Everything Changes~*~

The room was bare. Circular, with stone walls and a wooden floor. A large white bed was the only piece of furniture adorning the dreary room and Bella lied there, crying. I ran to the bed side faster than it took the guards to close the door behind me. I took up her hand and her head turned to look at me. In her eyes I could see the torture she was going through and it killed me that I could do nothing to ease her hurting.

"Edward," The pain in her voice shattered my frozen heart. "Please, kill me! It burns! Please, it hurts!"

"I know. It'll be over soon." I moved to stand, but her cry stopped me.

"No! Don't leave! Please, don't leave!"

"Never… I will never leave you." I finished the action I had started and climbed into the bed, pulling her into my chest.

"Please," her voice came out hoarse. "Make it stop."

"I wish I could, oh God, I wish I could."

I held her while she screamed, and cried, and begged for death, whispering in her ear, letting her know that I was there. She would pass out from the pain for a few moments here and there, but for the most part, she was lucid about what was happening. All I could do was hold her to me and hope that she would be alright after the change.

The days passed and when the third day had come and gone I got worried. She was going into a fourth day of change and the closer it got to the end, the more coherent she became. The cries had lessened substantially, but the last minutes, I knew from experience, would be the most painful.

I could hear the thoughts coming from the guards out in the corridor, visualizing how she would rip me to shreds once the transformation was complete. I didn't care. Bella needed me and I would be here whether it was dangerous or not.

Her cries proceeded to get softer and her breathing became deep and even. She had been quiet for a few hours and it was starting to really trouble me. She lied quite still in my arms. I wanted to do something to help her, shake her, talk to her, get Carlisle, but all I could do was hold her.

Suddenly, her breathing picked up and her heart beat which had been steady, if sluggish, increased rapidly. This was it. She let a low pain filled moan escape her lips before she was shrieking with the pain from it.

I left the bed, but I refused to let go of her hand. If she killed me then she killed me, but I couldn't leave her. I wouldn't leave her. Her eyes popped open and she stared at me as she cried out, gripping my hand with supernatural strength. It hurt, her being a newborn and far stronger than any vampire in the vicinity, but I wouldn't let her go.

Her shrieks got more intense and she whipped her head away, arching her back in pain. After a few minutes of pure agony her heart beat one last time and stopped all together, and her body collapsed on the bed unmoving.

She was taking slow deep breaths and staring blankly at the ceiling. Her grip on my hand had relaxed, but she still held it tightly. Before I could blink, albeit unnecessarily, she was standing on the opposite side of the bed with the hand I had just been holding, pulled into her chest as if she were protecting it.

I stood up as slow as I could manage and backed away with my hands raised to let her know that I wasn't here to hurt her. I noticed that the thoughts that had been emanating from outside the door a few moments before had ceased. They had left me here to die by her hand and I would die if she thought that I was a threat. I kept my hands raised even as I hit the wall. Her brow furrowed in a bewildered expression and then her eyes became sad. What was she thinking?!

Her hands went up to her face as if she were checking to see if it were still there. She traced her features with her fingers and then dropped her hands and looked at me, tilting her head to the side in confusion. In a blur, she was less than a foot in front of me in the time it would take a hummingbird to flap its wings.

She was assessing my face and then her eyes moved to rest on my raised hands. She brought up one of her own hands, slowly, over exaggerating the motion, and set it lightly against mine, mirroring its position. She looked up into my eyes trying to communicate through them. She was so exquisitely picturesque in the moonlight flooding through the window. She was also oddly controlled for a newborn who was supposed to be crazy with bloodlust.

"I…" she started, but didn't finish. She shut her mouth in a snap and her eyes went wide. She furrowed her brow again. "I sound…different." It brought a smile to my mouth and I spoke slowly as to not scare her.

"I'm sure a lot of things will be different for you. But you're still Bella. I promise." Her face smoothed and a small smile lit her features.

"Thank you…for being here with me."

"I will always be here with you. You never have to worry about that, Bella. I love you."

Her smile broadened. "I know," she said and I laughed. "I love you, too."

I was amazed at how controlled she was. She truly was a remarkable being. She slid her fingers between mine and locked out hands together. The brought her other hand up to the then same as the other side.

We stayed that way staring into the depths of each other and, although her eyes were a brilliant red, I could still see the same shining life I had always seen in her eyes. There was no way that this dazzling angel could have lost her soul. It was there and I was staring into it through her eyes.

"I didn't know if you would make it. I knew that if you found out you would have gone ballistic. I could see it in your eyes when I tried to make you promise to be careful. I hoped you would be here, but it was more important to me to keep you safe." I stared at her for a moment trying to register what she was saying to me.

"You knew? You knew that they were changing you that morning and you didn't tell me?! I could have saved you. I would have saved you." She just smiled at me.

"I know you would have. That's why I didn't tell you." I looked at her exasperatedly. "It was the only way. This has been my destiny for the past year, if not for a lot longer than that. Besides, I want to love you, forever."

Forever. She wants me forever. With those words, I forgot my argument. I wanted to love her forever and I wanted to take her into my arms and kiss her, show her how much I loved her. I wanted her forever, too, but she would need to hunt as soon as possible and if I kissed her right then, I didn't think I would have been able to stop.

"Bella, aren't you thirty?" she looked at me confused and then her eyes got wide.

"No," she said slowly, "I'm not." That had me more than a little worried.

"Bella, you're throat doesn't burn at all?"

"A little, but nothing like Aro said it would feel like. It is a bit dry, though."

I stared at her astonished. She was clearly feeling something of the thirst, but her nonchalance toward it surprised me. It either had something to do with her genetic makeup or she had phenomenal self control. Either way, she would need blood and I remembered the absence of the guards that were supposed to be protecting Bella. It made me uneasy that they had left her here to supposedly kill me and then…what? Survive on her own? Why wasn't anyone here to help her with her bloodlust?

I was so distracted by my anxiousness that Demetri surprised me when he burst through the door and looked at me with utter confusion written across his face. Losing control of his facial features was not something he did often. I

t wasn't until I tried to read his thoughts that I realized I couldn't hear them. Nor could I hear the thoughts of the two guards that were, and probably always had been, stationed outside the door. I could hear nothing but my own voice running through my head. I looked at Bella and then back at Demitri's uncomfortable expression.

"You can't sense me can you?" he rearranged his features into a blank mask and then smiled at me.

"And you can't hear my mind." That displeased me.

"No, I can't," I said through clenched teeth. Bella looked at me worried.

"You can't hear him? Why not?" I looked into her concerned eyes and smiled.

"I think you're doing it." She gasped.

"I'm so sorry, Edward. I didn't know. I…" she scrunched up her face momentarily. "I don't know how to turn it off."

"It's not you're fault, Bella. It's part of your gift. Mine will probably come back if I'm away from you," she frowned.

"I don't want you to be away from me," I laughed at her expression.

"Well good, I don't plan on it." She smiled brilliantly at me. She was stunning.

"Bella," Demetri interrupted. "You need to feed. Come with me."

"I refuse to drink from a human. I will go hunting in the woods nearby for animal blood. I understand if I need accompaniment." Demetri stared at her in shock. He obviously expected her to be a bloodthirsty monster, although, anyone would expect that of a newborn.

Bella was different than anything I'd ever seen.

"Carlisle and I would be honored to take her seeing as we uphold the lifestyle she wishes to pursue." He still said nothing, looking back and forth between Bella and myself. "Of course, I should like to clear it with Aro first," he stared at us for another moment before he, finally, broke from his unreadable thoughts.

"Yes…Aro will need to know."

He turned and left the room, not even waiting to see if Bella or I would follow. We ran in unnerving silence to a part of the castle I hadn't traveled. We arrived at a large door and Demetri turned to Bella with a smirk on his face that I didn't trust. On the other side of the room I heard people talking and shuffling about the room and then I realized what was going on.

"No! She made it perfectly clear what she wished to do! You can't force this on her." I made a move to grab Bella and run, but Felix had come surprised me and locked my arms behind my back. Damn it! I still couldn't hear anything!

"I won't have to force anything," Demetri sneered. "It's part of her nature." And then he opened the door to a grand hall filled with what seemed to be over a thousand humans. Bella's eyes flew open in shock and she gasped.

"Hold your breath, Bella! You can do this!" she looked at me dazed and a smug smile danced across her lips. She didn't stop breathing.

"No."

I looked at her with pained eyes. She was going to massacre a room full of innocent people and then she would hate herself. She walked at an even pace into the room. Aro was standing in the corner grinning in anticipation. But her actions didn't make sense. She should have been overcome by instinct or she should have shown some sign of struggle, but she just smiled and walked at human speed to where Aro was waiting. His smile faltered momentarily.

"My precious child, are you not thirsty?"

"I am, but I refuse to harm innocent people. Let them go, Aro." Aro's eyes grew wide and his smile broadened immensely.

"You are far more amazing than I could have dreamed, dear child."

"I said let them go," the smile had disappeared from Bella's face and Aro laughed lightly as if she had told some witty joke.

"Oh, dear Bella." Aro took her hand and I saw disappointment flash across his face for the smallest fraction of a second. "You may not want them, but they will be much appreciated by the others." Bella's face broke into the most distressing expression of hopelessness. I had to get to her.

"Let go of me, Felix. There's no need for this anymore." Felix begrudgingly loosed his grip and I ran to Bella's side.

She turned immediately when she felt my touch and buried her face in my chest, heaving with dry sobs. "Shh, Bella. Let's go see Carlisle."

I picked her up in my arms. Her hands found their way around the back of my head and she nuzzled her face into the crevice of my neck, still shaking with tearless cries. Aro's hand stopped me before I could run.

"I don't think so. She stays with me."

"She needs blood and unless you have livestock in the next room, I'm taking her to my father so that we can take her hunting."

He hesitated, but removed his hand and let me pass. I ran as quickly as possible back to the room where I hoped Carlisle would be waiting for me. With Bella so close, I couldn't hear anything beyond what my ears could pick up. I wanted more than anything to hear Carlisle's thoughts at that moment, more than anything except letting go of my sweet Bella. I would never let her go again.

By the time we reached the door of my room, Bella had quieted and I could here light page turning coming from inside. I opened the door and saw Carlisle staring blankly at a page in a book. He wasn't reading. He looked up when I entered and I could tell he was trying to ask me something.

"I can't hear you. Bella's blocking my power." I set my beautiful angel down. She stood steadily next to me and grabbed a hold of my hand, but pointed her unfocused gaze on the floor.

"What happened?"

"He changed her. That's why the guard was so near and why they were blocking me. They were there to stop me from going to her. I just don't know how Alice didn't see it until right before it happened. It doesn't make any sense."

"Aro let you just take her?"

"She needs to hunt and she refuses to drink from a human. His only choice was to let her hunt with us."

"She refused?"

"Yes, I refused! I won't hurt an innocent person!" Bella's eyes were lit with anger, but softened almost immediately. "A whole lot of good it did anyway," she said more quietly.

"Bella, love, you can't take that upon yourself. There was nothing you could do."

"I'm sorry, Bella. I didn't mean to imply that you wanted to hurt anyone, it's just that most newborns don't have a choice. They don't have any control." She was silent for a long moment.

"No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have accused you of thinking of me that way. I misdirected my anger. I know there was nothing I could do, but they…they had no chance. Even though it's not me that will take their lives, they will still be slaughtered like animals." Carlisle looked sympathetically at Bella.

"The Volturi have lived this way for centuries if not millennia, Bella. Thankfully, because you are so special, you have the choice to follow a different path. Find comfort in that and when you're ready, you can try to change the way others choose to live." She looked thoughtfully at my father and I saw a little tension leave her slight frame. "Right now, however, you need to hunt." He smiled warmly at her and she beamed back. I let out the breath I hadn't known I was holding and we went on our way.

She held my hand the entire way to the nearby wood. She looked so happy and I realized that this was her first time outside of the castle in probably several months. She was taking everything in like a child being in some wonderful place for the first time in its life. And in many ways she was seeing things as a child would.

She had never experienced the world in this fashion, with heightened senses. She was seeing everything with new eyes, feeling everything with new skin, tasting, smelling, hearing everything for the first time. It was addicting to watch her discovering everything her human properties had missed. She was glowing with wonderment.

Teaching her how to hunt was easy enough. She watched Carlisle and I take down a few deer and a wolf before trying it herself and consuming a deer, an entire pack of wolves, and two brown bears. She was a fierce, magnificent creature to watch.

Emmett would have been impressed, although, the more aggressive animals did a number on her shirt and it was a struggle to tear my eyes away from her. I neatly removed my own deep blue, collared shirt and wrapped it around her shoulders to cover up her exposed midsection. The look on her face told me that had she still been human, she would have been blushing furiously. I would miss that little trait, but it didn't compare to how amazingly she moved and glowed now, with such power and confidence. I was hers forever, if she would have me.

I moved in front of her to do up the button of my shirt and caught her staring at my bared chest. She licked a few missed drops of blood from her lips, but the way in which she did it was far more sensual than I'm sure she meant it. My thoughts drifted to how badly I wanted to explore her glorious mouth with mine. I wanted to taste her, kiss her without reservations, love her fully. She was so beautiful.

"Edward! Carlisle is right over there!" I looked at her in confusion and then shock.

_Bella can you hear me? _I thought.

She looked at me blankly. I concentrated on delivering my thoughts to her, but she started looking uncomfortable with the intensity of my stare. Carlisle appeared at that moment looking rather confused himself.

"What's going on, Edward?" Bella looked down in embarrassment.

"I didn't say anything, Bella." Her head snapped up and she looked angry.

"Don't give me that! I heard you clear as day. You said…" she stopped suddenly looking at Carlisle and then looking back at the rock on the ground she seemed to find rather interesting. She was so cute when she was embarrassed.

"Edward, what happened?" Carlisle was a little worried.

"I was thinking about how much I wanted to…kiss Bella and she heard me." Both Bella and Carlisle looked at me with shock evident in their eyes.

"I…I…You didn't say that? You were only thinking it?"

"I was only thinking it. But you can't hear me right now, can you?"

"No, I can't." She seemed distressed about what had just happened. I walked over to her and held her in my arms.

"Bella, love, it's nothing to be worried about. We already knew that you would be powerful. This is just part of your gift." She didn't seem convinced. I looked her deep in the eye willing her to accept my words. "Nothing to worry about, okay?"

"I suppose."

"It truly is remarkable, Bella," Carlisle said in awe. "To be able to neutralize others and claim their abilities as your own is absolutely extraordinary." Bella scowled at my fathers words.

"Yes, truly amazing that I should have the power to destroy people." She broke free from me, walked a few paces, and collapsed on the ground. "I'm a monster." I was kneeling beside her in an instant pulling her into my lap. I pulled her chin up so I could look her in the eye.

"Don't you ever talk about yourself like that. If I'm not a monster, as you so vehemently tell me that I'm not, then you are an angel sent from God himself. You are anything but a monster, do you hear me?" She started to disagree, but Carlisle spoke before she could get the chance.

"You're right."

He spoke in barely a whisper and we both looked up at him in confusion. He walked over to a tree and leaned against it as if to steady himself. He stayed silent thinking to himself and I couldn't hear a word of it. I couldn't take it anymore.

"Carlisle, what is going on?! I can't hear what you're thinking!"

"I got it wrong," he said in the same whisper. Then he spun on us with excitement in his eyes. "Don't you see?! I got it wrong! Bella was never prophesized to destroy humanity, she was sent to save it! That has to be it! It's the only thing that makes sense! Bella, I don't believe that you could ever destroy anything. You can save what little humanity our kind has left. You're the hero, Bella, not he villain."

Bella would be the one to save our kind from damnation. It all made sense now. I knew she could never be the monster Aro had been waiting for. We stayed frozen trying to process the information just realized. It was true, it had to be. Bella was our savior.

A soft distant chuckle broke me from my thoughts and Aro emerged from the shadows clapping his hands in tempo with his slow pace. My already cold body went subzero as the phone in my pocket started buzzing. I knew it was Alice, but it was too late.

"Very nice, Carlisle. I was wondering myself how this silly, kindhearted girl was going to be the key to my supremacy. I suppose I'll just have to do it on my own. Pity really, to waste all of that magnificent power, but we must do what we must." He smile that same polite smile that sent my body rigid.

I stood up and looked around. Somewhere in the midst of our conversation and Aro's declaration, we became surrounded the entire Volturian Guard. Bella was starting to breathe heavier and faster. I squeezed her hand to calm her, but when she looked at me I knew that the fear in her eyes was a mirror of my own terrified expression.

I pulled Bella between Carlisle and I. Aro heard Carlisle reverse his original theory and having a powerful weapon of good wasn't something Aro was interested in. I couldn't hear his thoughts, but I knew what he wanted. He wanted Bella dead. Aro took a deep breath and tilted his head in mock affection.

"Oh, how I wish I had not just heard this horrible little detail. But looking at the facts I can't help, but know that it's true. I'm so sorry, Bella. I really wish Carlisle had been right the first time."

"So you will kill her and us because you're threatened?" I had never her Carlisle so angry. "She's a gift to us all, Aro! She can save us."

"But there in lies the problem, old friend. I don't want to be saved. I want to be powerful. Unfortunately, lovely Bella here interrupts that plan. I do wish I could spare you and dear Edward, but I can't have witnesses, now, can I?"

"No! Let them go! You can have me and I won't put up a fight, but let them be!" Bella cried.

"Oh, but Bella, it matters not whether you fight. You don't stand a chance against my guard even with out their powers. You see, I have so many strong fighters and without Edward's advantage, it should only take a few seconds, to rip you and you're friends apart."

A low deep growl erupted from Bella's chest and all of the sudden my head was swimming with voices. They were so loud it was almost painful, but I listened. One voice stood out and I looked to Carlisle to see if he was still standing. He was. Why could I _hear_ Jane trying to use her power and failing? I looked at Bella and she didn't seem to notice any difference.

Then I saw Alice. But it wasn't my Alice. She was pale in a natural way, but sleep deprived with dark circles under her eyes. She was sitting with her knees drawn up to her chest, rocking back and forth in the corner of a dark room and she was human.

I listened to the small, broken Alice mumbling words that sounded vaguely familiar and then I realized what she was saying. She was recounting the prophecy. Alice had envisioned the prophecy about Bella. I gasped audibly as I looked in on Aro's mind. For the first time since our arrival, Aro's thoughts were completely unguarded.

"Alice," Aro, Bella, and Carlisle looked at me with confusion and disbelief. Aro's calm demeanor changed drastically.

"Why can you read my thoughts? Jane!"

"I'm trying! I can't do anything!" The tiny vampire was snarling in a most unattractive way.

"Alec!"

"I still can't use my power!"

"That's how come she didn't see. You made sure not to make any decisions until you knew I couldn't answer the phone. You knew about her the whole time!" Carlisle looked at me with shock and fear. Aro knew about Alice and he wanted her. He would have her or she would die with the rest of our family.

"Of course I knew about her. Did you really think I wouldn't know about someone with her potential? She had such a magnificent vision when she was human, I could only imagine how her visions have grown."

"It was you, then? You changed her and then you left her?!" Aro sighed.

"How little you know, dear boy." His eyes turned cold as he remembered what had happened to his precious seer. "I lost her. I had only just found her in that mental institute and her blood was even more tantalizing than sweet Bella's.

"Unfortunately, a tracker by the name of James caught a hint of her scent. The guard I assigned to watch over her, until I could work out details with my brothers, was no match for the foul beast intent on having her. So my guard changed her before he was killed. I lost track of her until just a few years ago. Who would have thought she was so close, living with my dear friend, Carlisle." My father let a ferocious growl rip from his chest.

"You are no friend of mine, Aro!" Aro sighed again.

"Hmm, as you wish Carlisle. I really will miss you. I'm sorry it has to end like this." His thoughts about Carlisle were nothing about how he cared for him. He only wanted his mind. And then Bella's voice rang out with the words I'd just heard from Aro's thoughts.

"Don't pretend like you have a heart, Aro. You only wish you could have a last look into Carlisle's theories." Aro smiled sardonically at the beautiful girl standing next to me.

"Bella seems to be getting stronger by the minute. I'm sorry this goodbye had to be so short, but you understand why I can't wait much longer, yes? Felix, Demetri, Kale, Hajj, finish them, please."

Carlisle turned so that his back was to mine with Bella in between us. The four vampires, who were prized by Aro as his strongest fighters, circled slowly around us, savoring their small battle. The first to attack was Kale. I blocked his strike at Bella and he pulled back. The one called Hajj did the same and Carlisle took his hit. The two repeated this as Felix and Demetri continued to circle. Suddenly, all four were dancing and lunging at Bella.

It was over. There was no way we could fight off all of them and even if by some miracle we could have, the rest of the guard was ready to assist on moments notice. They snatched at pieces of clothing as they assaulted us, tearing and shredding them.

I heard Bella cry out behind me as they ripped one of the sleeves of my shirt she was wearing. I tried to deflect two of the attackers at once, but before I knew what had happened Demetri and another member of the guard had Carlisle and Felix had firm groping hands on my beautiful Bella. I turned to help them, but Kale and Hajj soon had me in a vice grip. I couldn't escape.

Felix leaned close to Bella's ear and grinned. "If you try to escape he's dead. No funny games, right?"

She nodded her head.

Felix let out a low rumbling growl that made my skin crawl. "You could have had me, beautiful," he whispered.

Bella shuddered as his hand traveled down the front of her body, roughly caressing her waist and hip. I growled and struggled, but it was no use. His hand moved to the inside of her thigh and I just about died, but he stopped with a cough from Aro. Felix smiled wider and placed his hand back on her hip.

"But you chose this freak, and so now, you'll watch him die." I saw the fear in her eyes as she watched Kale bare his teeth and jerk my head to the side to expose my neck. I closed my eyes and waited to be destroyed. I heard her tearless cries and my heart broke over and over again at the sound.

"No! No, no, no! Oh God, NOOOOOO!!!" And then there was silence. Pure, undeniable, deafening silence.

I opened my eyes in time to see Bella throw her head back in a spasm and pull free of her captivity knocking Felix to the ground. As soon as the silence had come, it vanished in the most horrible roaring thunder I had ever heard and the brightest light ever imaginable radiated from Bella's tiny form. The thunder softened into high pitched musical tone that brought peace to my mind and relaxed every muscle in my body.

I felt the arms holding me prisoner release me and I felt as if I were floating. No, I was floating, as were Carlisle and my beloved Bella. We had died and Carlisle had been right. There was an afterlife for us, after all.

**_A/N: Giant thanks to all who have reviewed and thanks to those who have read. It really means alot ^_^_**


	11. Heaven Awaits

**_A/N: So a lot of you think that that was the end or that they are dead. I promise you I'm not that bad, haha. I hope I don't confuse you all anymore. From now on it's back to Bella's POV._**

~*~Heaven Awaits~*~  
I looked around at the faces I had come to know and loathe. They all stood there with expectant smiles on their faces. It sickened me, not just because it meant we were about to die, but because I didn't understand how anyone could get such pleasure from someone else's pain.

"Oh, how I wish I had not just heard this horrible little detail," Aro said with mock sympathy. "But looking at the facts I can't help, but know that it's true. I'm so sorry, Bella. I really wish Carlisle had been right the first time."

"So you will kill her and us because you're threatened?" Carlisle spoke with venom I didn't know his voice was capable of. "She's a gift to us all, Aro! She can save us."

"But there in lies the problem, old friend. I don't want to be saved. I want to be powerful. Unfortunately, lovely Bella here interrupts that plan. I do wish I could spare you and dear Edward, but I can't have witnesses, now, can I?"

"No! Let them go! You can have me and I won't put up a fight, but let them be!" He couldn't harm them, not after everything they'd done for me and, especially, not Edward. I could never bear it if I was the cause for his life to cease. I would take hell everyday for eternity if it meant that he would live.

"Oh, but Bella, it matters not whether you fight. You don't stand a chance against my guard even with out their powers." I knew Aro was right, but there had to be something I could do. "You see, I have so many strong fighters and without Edward's advantage, it should only take a few seconds, to rip you and you're friends apart."

No! I would not let it happen! I let a growl hum through every facet of my body. I would not be the reason for our demise. We would have a chance. Edward would have a chance. It was all I could think about, how I had taken the only advantage we had. I would fight, I would protect my Edward if it was the last thing I did. I felt a strange tingling sensation coming from the boy I loved and then he spoke.

"Alice."

I looked at him, as did Aro and Carlisle. Alice. I had heard Aro talk of a girl named Alice. She was the thing that Aro wanted more than anything else. Anything else with the exception of me. My power was his first priority, but this Alice was something of an obsession of his. She had blood sweeter than mine, that he punished himself for losing. She was a vampire now and he wanted her power as well, but he would never tell me what it was.

"Why can you read my thoughts? Jane!"

"I'm trying! I can't do anything!" That's what the sensation was. I had released Edward from my shield and he could hear them.

"Alec!"

"I still can't use my power!"

I focused on the lovely sensation, on Edward's entire being; like I had I had done when I traced my eyes over his beautiful, muscular chest. I felt a pressure release from my head as if I had just had a helmet on. The rush of voices was painful, but not unbearable. I heard everything at once and compartmentalized it all the very moment I heard it.

"That's how come she didn't see. You made sure not to make any decisions until you knew I couldn't answer the phone," my beautiful angel spoke. I saw a phone conversation with a girl. She was sorry and let him know how to handle things. "You knew about her the whole time!"

I heard words of fear and anger coming from Carlisle. He was picturing a beautiful pixie-like girl with short black hair. I then knew what this little wonderful creature had to offer Aro. Not only had she unknowingly led him to me, but she would give him more knowledge of the future. Then, I saw more faces. They were coming from both of the wonderful vampires trying to protect me.

I saw a warm woman with the most welcoming smile and wavy, caramel colored hair and another girl who was easily the most attractive female I'd ever seen with a perfect figure and flowing blonde hair. With her was a large beautiful man with muscles like I'd never seen and curly brown hair and there was another boy, tall with honey blonde locks and a wonderfully calming expression.

They were all so beautiful and then I heard the thoughts of death or life in the Volturi for them and my now silent heart broke into pieces. I was the reason for all of this pain. Aro's own thoughts confirmed their fears and he spoke. His voice had never made me comfortable, but now, it sickened me.

"Of course I knew about her. Did you really think I wouldn't know about someone with her potential? She had such a magnificent vision when she was human, I could only imagine how her visions have grown."

Edward was furious as he came to the conclusion that Aro had left this Alice to fend for herself as a newborn. Aro corrected him with an expression that was both bored and bitter at the same time. He recounted what happened to the little seer of the future and how he let her slip through his grasp.

"I lost track of her until just a few years ago. Who would have thought she was so close, living with my dear friend, Carlisle." Carlisle's growl was as menacing as his murderous glare.

"You are no friend of mine, Aro!"

"Hmm, as you wish Carlisle." Aro's thoughts were greedy for Carlisle's mind, but he continued speaking with detestable sweetness. "I really will miss you. I'm sorry it has to end like this."

"Don't pretend like you have a heart, Aro. You only wish you could have a last look into Carlisle's theories." Aro directed his mocking smile at me as I finished my outburst.

"Bella seems to be getting stronger by the minute. I'm sorry this goodbye had to be so short, but you understand why I can't wait much longer, yes? Felix, Demetri, Kale, Hajj, finish them, please."

Carlisle and Edward entered into defensive crouches with me in the middle as the barbarous fighters of the guard circled our position. They were monsters, relishing in the fact that they would rip the stone flesh from our bodies and tear us apart with their teeth. Kale attacked just before Hajj and my protectors shielded their advances. Soon all four were lunging and grabbing handfuls of fabric.

I screamed as I felt fingers pull at my sleeve. Carlisle had been caught and Felix had his arms around my waist. I started to fight him off, but Hajj and Kale had Edward's arms and the brute behind me whispered in my ear.

"If you try to escape he's dead. No funny games, right?" All I could do was nod and Felix growled the same sexual growl he'd use when he would run into me in an uninhabited corridor. I shuddered as he whispered his next sentence. "You could have had me, beautiful."

Edward growled and struggled to no avail as I let the monster behind me grope my body. He pushed his hand to the inside of my thigh and I braced myself for what would come next. He'd never been able to go that far before for fear of damaging me and Aro finding out, but I was unbreakable now.

Thankfully, Aro was growing tiresome of the game and let Felix know to finish it up with the unnecessary clearing of his throat. I heard the smile in his voice as he uttered the words that would undo me completely.

"But you chose this freak, and so now, you'll watch him die." No, No! They can't! But they would. Kale flashed is dangerous teeth and jerked Edward's head to the side. I couldn't let this happen. If Edward ceased to exist, the world, as I knew it, would be a disastrous wasteland, full of fear and hatred. My love closed his eyes and waited to die.

"No! No, no, no! Oh God, NOOOOOO!!!" As I cried for the only good thing the world had to offer, I felt the most exquisite electrical serge running through my body.

I lost all my senses and drifted inside my mind. I could see nothing, hear nothing, feel nothing but the wonderful current of pure, unrefined power coursing through my veins. I could think of nothing, but the feel, the taste, the sound of the electricity. I fought to remember something important. Edward. My love, my light, my beautiful angel. He needed me. And his family needed me.

His beautiful family was in danger because of me and I had to help them. They would be safe if it was the last thing I did. I focused on the energy pulsing throughout my body and forced it to expand. I would protect them. They were everything, he was everything and then with the full force of the electric stream, I thought of home.

Suddenly, I was spiraling inside of my mind. The power I was feeling took over my body and I was thrust forward in a rush of something far greater than adrenaline. There were no words to describe the feeling. I couldn't breathe. It was like I was drowning and burning at the same time, but it was amazing. As painful as it seemed to be, it far more exhilarating and wonderful.

As soon as I received the awe inspiring thrill, it disappeared in a crash and I felt like I was plummeting to the earth from the moon. Although I had nothing to compare it to, I assumed it was similar to experiencing the greatest drug and coming down from it; except this was vastly more powerful than any drug. And the fall from grace was most definitely more devastating to my strength than any substance in existence.

I felt my senses slowly return. I could hear voices calling my name, I could feel arms wrapped around my body, I could smell nature, but it was different. I vaguely registered that it was not the right smell for where I was supposed to be. Where was I supposed to be? Italy, the Volturi, Edward, No!

I opened my eyes to see Edward staring down at me with worry and fear in his eyes and I could only imagine shock in mine. I stared at him for a long minute before I caught my bearings. I needed to know so much. Where were we? What happened to the Volturi? What was that strange energy? How did we survive?

"What, in the name of all that is holy, just happened?!" He didn't answer me. He stared at me with emotion after emotion crossing his face.

After what seemed like an eternity of questions and uncertainty, he leaned forward and crashed his lips to mine. It was as if it was the only form of communication he could think of. He traced my lower lip with his tongue and I parted my lips in acceptance. I could feel the desperation of his kiss. The way his mouth moved with mine told me all of the gratitude, love, need, awe, reassurance, joy, fear, want, and relief he couldn't put in to words.

I tangled my fingers in his hair as his hands moved around my waist and up my back, exploring my body. We moved together in harmony, finishing each other's silent advances and proposals, creating a beautiful symphony with our lips, tongues, breath, hands, and bodies. He was my everything and I was his. We were two halves of the same person. We were one.

We finally broke apart when I heard a loud 'AHEM!' come from someone nearby. I looked up to see the faces of Edward's family staring down at us with an array of emotions, from amusement to adoration to what looked like annoyance from the blonde named Rosalie.

I desperately wanted to know what they all thought of me, especially after the little display of passion Edward and I just showed them. The man I recognized as Jasper confused me though. He seemed fearful, like he didn't trust me. I looked back to Edward, embarrassed beyond belief, and he was wearing my favorite crooked grin.

"I think our family would like to talk with us," he said simply. But it was anything but a simple comment. There was so much subtext in those words that my heart melted with joy. Our family. I was a part of Edward's family.

Living with the Volturi, I knew nothing, but pain, loneliness, and fear. My life was meaningless in that hell, but here with my angel, I was in heaven. I knew now, only my love for him and even my love for his family who I had yet to meet. His family and mine. Our family. I was finally home. Unfortunately, my euphoria was marred by questions and fear. What had happened?

"Edward, what happened?" His eyes held concern and I knew he was worried about what had happened. "Edward?"

"You brought us home. I don't know how, but you did." I had so much power that I actually transferred our bodies through…what? Space? Although I didn't need the air I was gasping, I started hyperventilating. Edward pulled me into his chest and whispered to me in a voice that was not to be defied.

"We'll deal with all of this later." I nodded. "Let me introduce you to your family."

He introduced me to the warm, motherly figure first. She was standing in Carlisle's embrace, but pulled me into her own arms once I got close enough. It was the best feeling in the world to feel a mother's touch and, although she wasn't Renee, she was an exquisite woman and I would happily accept her as the mother of my new life with Edward.

"It is so very wonderful to meet you, dear," she said, pulling back to look at me. "You have no idea how happy I am that you've come into Edward's life. Welcome to our family, Bella."

"Thank you so much for having me," I smiled back. The small pixie-like Alice jumped forward next and flung her arms around my neck. I could feel the waves of excitement rolling off of her and I also felt the tall blonde's nervousness toward me. It felt odd thatI should pick up on his feelings so well.

"I'm so happy you're finally here! I've been waiting for forever, you know." Edward laughed at his sister's exuberance.

"A week is hardly forever, Alice." She turned on him and glared, but she simply refused to let me go.

"It is when you're stuck half a world away knowing little bits and pieces of what was happening, not knowing if things are turning out right and your brother calls you all of twice to fill you in."

"I called you three times, Alice."

"The last time doesn't count. You were calling to thank me not tell me what was going on." Edward seemed to becoming annoyed.

"Yeah, well I wasn't the only one who was keeping things to themselves. You still have a lot of explaining…" I couldn't contain my laughter any longer. Alice and Edward both turned to stare at my fit of hilarity.

"I'm sorry. It's just that you guys are so…normal. Like a real family. I've really missed that." Edward's annoyance toward Alice dissipated at once, and I could see it replaced in his eyes by all the love in the world.

"I know, love, but it will all be better now." I smiled at him as Alice pulled me in for another hug. "Share, Alice." She gave him a frustrated look, but complied.

"Fine, then, this is my husband, Jasper." I had been focusing on Jasper since I saw the apprehension in his eyes. I didn't understand what I did wrong. And I could feel the worry rolling off of him. "Jazz, what's wrong?" Alice asked.

"Bella's blocking him." I looked up at Edward with pain in my eyes. I didn't want to cause any of them discomfort or danger and that seemed to be all I was capable of bringing. Like always, Edward could tell exactly what I was thinking with out reading my thoughts. "It's not your fault, Bella. You can't control it, yet. It'll be fine."

I turned to Jasper and apologized anyway. "I know I'm causing you great anxiety. I'm sorry for that. I know I can control it and I'll work really hard so that you aren't afraid of me anymore."

"Bella, how do you know what I am feeling?" Although Jasper voiced the question, the entire family seemed to be waiting intently for my response.

"I don't know. I can just sense it. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to assume anything, I just thought…" Edward interrupted my panicked explanation.

"Bella, love, you can feel his emotions because Jasper is an empath. He feels and controls the emotions around him. You're blocking him right now, but I think you've also adopted his gift."

"Are you kidding me?" Emmett burst in with a laugh. I could feel the awe Emmett held for me. It was intoxicating, but not nearly as great as the love I felt emanating from Edward. My angel was also slightly amused by something.

"I can still here you're thoughts, Emmett, and whether I do or don't, it really wouldn't make a difference in the outcome. I'm still the better fighter."

"You think you're the better fighter because you cheat. Why is Jasper blocked and you're not? That doesn't make sense." A frustrated growl came from Alice.

"I can't see anything, either!" Carlisle intervened at that point.

"We'll discuss it all back at the house. I'm sure Bella would like to get cleaned up first." I nodded, but I also wanted to finish meeting the family.

"It's very nice to meet you, Emmett." He pulled me up into a giant bear hug and I couldn't help, but giggle.

"I think I like you already, little sister." He put me down and I turned to the untimely beauty standing next to him.

"Hello, Rosalie. I'm very happy to meet you." She looked me over for what seemed like an eternity. I felt amusement, confusion, and the tiniest hint of jealousy in her emotions. They didn't make much sense to me. Finally, a reluctant smug smile broke out on her face.

"Come on, I have some clothes that you can borrow." I looked at Edward who seemed pleasantly surprised by Rosalie's reaction. He smiled that crooked grin of his, took my hand, and led me to the house with the rest of my new family.

**_A/N: Well, what do you guys think? It's not over yet, I promise you. You'll find a lot out in the next chapter._**


	12. Peace, Love, and Understanding

~*~Peace, Love, and Understanding~*~

It took me a matter of seconds to clean up and change, by which time, the others had tidied themselves and most of the family was seated around the large dining room table. I looked around for the missing members, but they were nowhere to be found.

"Where are Alice and Jasper?" Edward was at my side instantaneously, leading me to the seat next to his.

"They had to leave so that Alice could see. They'll be back soon."

"I need to know what happened to me. What was that energy?"

I looked at my beautiful boy, but he was silent. I looked into the faces of the rest of my family, but they also had no answer. Finally, I looked at Carlisle. I knew he at least had a theory of what he thought happened. He stared back at me with guarded eyes.

"Bella, what you did is like nothing I've ever seen before. I knew your power would be great, but this is…Bella, to move yourself from one place to another without actually traveling the distance is… You altered reality. You tore a hole in the fabric of time and space that lines the world. Bella, you have the ability to adjust matter. Change it, create it and probably destroy it."

I listened intently on what he was saying. I had more power than any one person should ever have. I had more power than my entire race. If I learned to control it, I could very possibly destroy the universe.

"So, I am a monster after all." Edward turned me to him, almost violently. He had never been so rough with me before.

"No. You didn't use the energy to destroy anything. You used it to save our lives. It doesn't matter if you are capable of doing something, Bella. You decided not to and that's what matters." I smiled at his words.

"Kind of like you then, huh?" He looked at me confused for a second and then the corners of his mouth pulled up into a defeated smirk. I tried to be happy at proving my angelic boy to be good, but I couldn't keep the smile on my face. "You don't know that I didn't destroy anything. We have no idea what happened in Italy." His smile disappeared, too, but I could see his mind working far away.

"Yes we do." I looked at him questioningly. "Alice is back." Edward got up and punched a hole in the wall. We all stared at him in fear and confusion. "They're coming. And they're bringing reinforcements."

"What do you mean reinforcements?" Carlisle asked.

"What I mean is that they are finding everyone they can and telling them that Bella will destroy us all! They are using lies to build an army to come and demolish us. They'll be here within a matter of months."

There was dead silence for not more than a few seconds, though it felt like hours, and then everyone was talking at once with heightened emotions. I stayed still, listening to their plans and voiced fears, but all I could see was my new family, torn into pieces, burning, dying. They were going to die because of my existence.

"We could call Tanya," I heard Esme say.

"And Jasper and I can find Peter and Charlotte," Alice chimed. I couldn't let this go on any further.

"No." They all stopped and turned to me at my whispered objection. "I won't involve anyone else. I've already risked all of your lives and for that I'm sorry." Edward tried to stop me. I turned to him. "Please let me finish. I love you all so very much. More than you could possibly understand with the short time that I've known you. I'm thrilled that you would give your lives to protect me, but this is my battle. I want you all to hide and I'll do my best to take out Demetri before they get to me."

"No." I had expected the objection to come from Edward or Carlisle, maybe even Alice or Esme, but instead I looked mystified at Rosalie. "You are part of this family and we stick together. We'll find a way."

"She's right. You're family," Alice said. "Besides, we still have a few months and with training, you could be ready by then."

"And I've already told you that I would never leave you, remember?" I looked into Edwards eyes. They were filled with love and a look that told me I would lose the argument if I tried to pursue it. I sighed.

"Fine, let's get started."

"Great!" Alice bounced up and threw her arms around me. "I think the first thing you should do is learn how to stop blocking me so I don't have to leave every time I need to see something."

We worked for hours upon hours discussing how I let Edward past my shield and trying different methods to let Alice inside as well. Carlisle said that my powers were, in some way, connected to my emotions. I tried using them to strengthen my abilities. Nothing worked. I was getting discouraged that all of the exertion was for nothing and that the cause was hopeless.

"She's not even trying!" Rose had apparently had enough.

"I'm trying with everything I have. This isn't exactly easy, you know."

"I sure as hell hope you're not trying with everything you have, because if you are, we're all pretty much screwed."

"Rose, that's enough!" Edward was furious.

"Why should I keep quiet? I'm going to die in a little over a month if she doesn't get her act together. I should be able to say what I want now, before my mouth shuts forever."

"Rose, honey, maybe you should just back off a little." Emmett tried to steer his wife away from the argument, but she wasn't having it.

"I'm serious. We're all going to die. There's nothing anyone can do and it's all her fault! If she hadn't come into our lives none of this would be happening."

The argument continued, but I stopped listening. Rosalie was right. I was the cause of all of their pain and the only thing I could do to help was give them their powers. I had to help them, but how? I'd been trying all night, but nothing seemed to be working.

I blocked out the world completely and wallowed in my need to help my family. That's when I felt the sensation again. I felt Edward, of course. I never let him go, but now I could feel two more sensations coming from the direction of Jasper and Alice. Then I heard laughing.

"Well done, Rose," I heard Edward say.

I opened my eyes to see Rosalie smirking at me with her arms crossed over her chest. She had taunted me on purpose. I looked around at the rest of my family, who were grinning at my success, and so I gave them a weak smile in return. Rose's words may have only been intended to pull me out of my shell, but they were true enough. Edward noticed the lack of enthusiasm in my expression and decided that that was enough training for right then.

"Bella, can I take you somewhere?" I smiled at his nervousness.

"You can take me anywhere."

A glorious smile spread across his face and then we were off. It took us only minutes to get to the place he wanted to take me. We stopped in a beautiful meadow filled with beautiful winter flowers, lightly touched by the frost of early morning. It was absolutely magical.

"This is where I come if I want to be alone," he said as I took in the enchanted little piece of earth.

"Then why are you showing me?"

"Because, I love you. And I want to share everything with you. Forever." I turned to him and stared up into his eyes, feeling the sincerity in every word.

"And I love you. Forever."

He leaned down and placed a tender kiss on my lips. He started to pull away, but I leaned into him, deepening the kiss and wrapping my arms around his neck. The passion I felt pulsing between us strengthened as I felt his tongue caress the inside my mouth. He tasted so sweet. Slowly our kiss came to an end and he pulled back to look at me. His eyes were intense and determined.

"Bella, you are the one thing in my life that has ever made this existence bearable. No, not bearable. Every minute, every second I spend with you sends a shock through my system! You make my life a wondrous gift. I love you, Bella, more than any man has ever loved a woman, and I want to spend the rest of eternity with you."

He loosened his grip and brought his left hand around front to hold both of mine and put his right hand in his pocket. Then he lowered himself onto one knee and held up the most beautiful opal ring I had ever seen. It was so absolutely perfect and so absolutely Edward. "Isabella Swan, will you make me the happiest man in this universe and accept my hand in marriage?"

A thousand thoughts raced through my head, of my life before I met Edward and how awful my future had been and now, here was this beautiful angel asking me to spend forever with him. Asking me to let him take away all of my pain. Asking me to become his wife. There were so many things I wanted to say in that moment, but only one word came out of my mouth.

"Yes," I said as I dropped to my knees and kissed him fully on the lips. "Yes," I said again, kissing him on the cheek. "Yes," and I kissed between his eyes.

I kissed him over and over repeating my new favorite word after the question my love had just asked me. Yes, I would marry him and yes, I would spend forever with him. I would love him for as long as he would let me. I stopped peppering him with kisses only momentarily so he could slip on the stunning engagement ring and then I started again.

I had kissed every inch of his face and I moved back to his lips silencing my yes's, but saying them just as loudly through every movement of my mouth. He eased me down onto the bed of flowers we were sitting on, half of his body covering my own.

His left hand traveled down to my hip, his right arm stayed wrapped around my head as his fervent kisses stormed my mouth. My own arms enveloped his torso and my hands explored his glorious back. Suddenly, he pulled away, placing his head in the crook of my neck trying to steady his breathing.

"What's the matter?" His first response to my question was a light chuckle, then he pulled himself up to look into my eyes. I could see the lust there, mixed with amusement and frustration.

"What's the matter is I really didn't want to stop, but if I had kept going, I wouldn't have been able to stop." I looked at him confused. That had made no sense at all. He laughed and his breathing finally evened out. "You're too tempting for your own good, Bella. I would love nothing better than to take you here and now, but I love you too much to disrespect you that way."

"I don't mind," I said and kissed him again. He groaned into my mouth and rolled onto his back, pulling away from my lips. I pulled myself onto an elbow and looked down at him, flustered. "Why did you pull away?"

"I already told you. I don't have enough self-control to deny you if we go any further."

"And I told you, you don't need any self control." He looked up at me, exasperated.

"You are going to be the death of me, Bella Swan." I let out a frustrated growl and collapsed back onto the ground, my head on his arm. "I'm sorry, Bella. I want to, trust me I want to. But I want to do right by you. On our wedding day you will make me the happiest man in the world and on our wedding night," he rolled over to look me straight in the eye, "I will make you the happiest woman in the universe."

My breathing hitched and I shuddered. Edward certainly did have a way with words. He placed a gentle kiss on my forehead and returned to lying next to me. We laid that way for quite some time, not speaking, just enjoying each other's company. I imagined what my life with Edward would be like if we got through the upcoming battle. And then I realized that we probably wouldn't get through the upcoming battle.

Even though what Rosalie had said before was just to provoke my power, there was truth to her words. I wished with all of my heart that it wasn't true, but it was. My presence in Edward's life would ultimately cause all of our deaths. I had been so wrapped up in my thoughts that I hadn't noticed Edward staring at me.

"What are you thinking?" I could have said anything to put his curiosity to rest, but it didn't feel right to lie to him.

"I was just thinking how much better life would have been for you and your family if we had never met."

"That's not true. In so many ways, that is not true. First of all, my life before I met you was a miserable excuse for an existence. There was a hole in me that not even my family could fill. I was nothing before you, Bella. You are everything. Don't you ever doubt that. Second, I didn't tell you this before because I didn't want to scare you, but if you're thinking like this then I don't really have a choice." I looked at him expectantly. He took a deep breath and continued.

"Alice had a vision of you before I met you. She didn't see it until Carlisle and I left and she focused on Italy. It…it was about you. You had so much power and you…Bella, I don't want you to read too much into this. It didn't happen, so it's nothing to worry about." I simply nodded. Part of me already knew what he was about to say.

"Bella, you destroyed everything. It started off just being nature and then wild life, but it kept escalating until she saw a bright light and then nothing. The vision disappeared, but not as if it had ended. It was as if there was nothing left to predict."

I stared into his eyes for a long time before turning away. If it hadn't been for the beautiful angel lying next to me, I would have become the monster I had always feared I could be. He was the light that changed my world from certain destruction to one filled with hope.

Carlisle had claimed my emotions ruled my power, but I never imagined how right he was. My tortured life caused the world to end, but the light that saved me from that sorrowful existence altered reality and saved more than just me. He saved everyone. After another long moment of staring at nothing, I turned back to look into his scared, worried eyes.

"And the vision changed, didn't it? When I met you, the vision changed." He nodded. He thought his words would upset me, but all they did was bring me peace. I smiled. "I told you so." He looked at me confused, but returned my smile. "You said you were a monster. I told you, you were the one good thing in my future. I was right." He laughed and wrapped me in his arms.

"I was expecting…I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't this. You do nothing, but amaze me, Bella." He pulled back to look at me and brushed his thumb across my cheek. "I love you, Bella."

"I love you, Edward." We stared into each other's eyes for a moment longer before I sat up. "We should head back. They're probably wondering what happened to us."

"I should warn you, it is very possible that Alice already knows about the wedding and she will probably attack you when we get back." I laughed. There was no doubt in my mind that that was exactly what Alice would do.

We ran back to the house, hand in hand. Alice launched herself out the door just as we arrived, tackled me to the ground and placing an animated kiss on my cheek with a loud pop at the end of it. She sat up, straddling my stomach, and beamed down at me.

"You are going to love your wedding. There wasn't enough time to get a custom dress, but they have some really nice ones in Seattle that I could alter to make it fit you better. I already have Emmett getting his clerical license. Oh, Bella! This is going to be wonderful! Come on, Rosalie! We're leaving now!" She got off of my and I started panicking.

"Wait, Alice! I can't go. What if someone recognizes me? Not to mention I still have a lot of training to do. And my eyes! And human blood, Alice! I'm still a newborn!" I looked up at Edward who was doing a very poor job of hiding his amusement as Alice tried to drag me away.

"Don't be silly, Bella! We have plenty of time to get you ready for the battle, I have contacts for you, Carlisle told us all about your undeniable self-control, and I'd see if anything was going to happen before it actually did so, no worries. Come on!" I pulled out of Alice's grip just long enough to give Edward a chaste kiss across his lips before I was flipped over Alice's shoulder like a sack of potatoes and carried to the car.


	13. Ghost of Humanity

~*~Ghost of Humanity~*~

The dresses Alice had me try on were all gorgeous, but they were also far too extravagant for my tastes. I must have tried on thirty dresses in the fancy boutique before I got up the nerve to tell Alice that the formals in that particular store weren't really my style.

"Why didn't you just say that in the first place?! And here we spent all this time trying on unnecessary gowns when we could have been looking for jewelry. Ooh! Or shoes!"

"I'm sorry, Alice."

"So," Rosalie inquired, "What is your style?"

"I don't know. Something simple, I suppose, but elegant and traditional."

Alice let out a squeal, claiming she knew of the perfect little shop that barely anyone knew about, so we left the more populated main thoroughfare onto a side street that seemed a lot less touristy. The shop was a little hole in the wall type of store that had brilliant old-style pieces on display in the window. I tried on four dresses before I felt my entire face brighten.

"This is it. This is my dress." I looked to Alice and Rosalie who were beaming at my expression.

The dress was truly perfect. The strapless silk underdress tucked into the top of the corset with the overlaying draped tulle creating a sleeveless scoop neck bodice. It was just sheer enough to show a little bit of the cleavage I never knew I had. The tulle skirt of the gown was exquisite, decorated with hand sewn lace and cascading from the waist at all different lengths with the silk part of the dress reaching my ankles.

Alice's eyes grew wide for a moment before she ran to the ribbons and came back with a wide pale blue silk ribbon that could almost look white to human eyes. She wrapped it around my waist at the seam of the dress and tied into a perfect bow in the back. I had thought the dress was perfect, but I was wrong. Looking in the mirror, I knew I would have cried if I had had tears to shed.

"Bella! You look so beautiful!" Alice clapping her hands in anticipation of all the accessories she now got to attack me with.

We rang up the sale and Alice saw some olden day suits. She was glowing with excitement at being able to poke and prod Edward. I tried to tell her that it wasn't necessary, but she wouldn't hear it. Edward and I had to look our best on our special day and she was going to make sure it happened. I sighed and let her talk to the store owner about the grey suit and top hat. I would have to tell Edward to destroy the hat once we got it home.

"Oh, no you don't Isabella Swan! You're not ruining that hat." I seriously needed to rethink letting Alice have her sight.

"Fine then, don't buy it. I love the suit, but I'm not having Edward dress up like a fool." And I liked his hair way too much to cover it up.

Rosalie was highly amused by my bravado toward Alice. Alice narrowed her eyes for just a fraction of a second before they got wide as saucers and her lower lip jutted out in the perfect pout. She was really trying to tug at my heartstrings. I turned to walk out the door. It was my wedding and I would have at least something that I wanted.

"I'll see you back at the other store. There was a necklace there that I…"

I was cut off by Alice's gasp. I stopped in my tracks, but not before I looked out the window and saw the man she no doubt saw in her vision. He looked older than I had remembered. His brown hair had streaks of grey on the sides and there we wrinkles dusted over his eyes.

I could see were the frown lines were set into his face, though he wore a smile as he talked to the man in a wheelchair. I took a step forward. He was so close. I could almost reach out and touch him. And then two pairs of arms clamped around me.

"Let me go! I have to tell him I'm alive! He has to know!"

"Damn it, Bella, you're not like you used to be. This is a bad idea! Think about it," Alice screamed.

"He's my father! It doesn't matter if I'm different," I cried. "He still loves me! He has to know I'm okay!"

"How do you think that's going to go over, Bella?" Rosalie's voice was calm, but stern. "His missing daughter shows up out of nowhere after a year, but says she can't stay with him. You have to prepare yourself for the Volturi, Bella. You can't be around him right now. Think of what that would do to Charlie. I know it hurts to see him and not be able to go to him, but he looks like he's moved on, Bella. Don't hurt him by bringing up the past. Don't make him lose is daughter twice."

I knew she was right. In some part of my mind I scolded myself for taking tears for granted when I was human. All I wanted to do in that moment was cry, but it was the one thing my stupid vampire body wouldn't allow me.

I collapsed to the ground where Rosalie pulled me onto her lap and Alice wrapped her arms around me. We stayed that way for quite some time. I vaguely registered the store manager coming to check if I was alright. I wasn't, not even close. Finally, the trembling stopped and I was able to stand.

"Alice. Would you mind finishing things up here? I'm going to go check out that necklace." She nodded her head, but I really didn't wait for her permission.

I started walking toward the store, but I passed it at some point not even realizing how far I had gone. I didn't care, either. I just kept walking until I found a secluded little bench under a shady tree at the far edge of town. I sat down and pulled my knees up to my chest, staring at the side wall of a rather unremarkable building. I sat for what seemed like a lifetime, thinking about nothing and everything all at the same time.

Part of me wanted to disappear, part of me wanted to scream. I wanted to run away, to stay where I was, to go find Charlie all at the same time. I couldn't make sense of anything and yet, it was all very logical. I wanted to see my dad, I needed to see him, but it was impossible for that to happen. It would be disastrous. I was so wrapped up in my own thoughts I didn't hear Rosalie approach.

"I see you didn't find that necklace." I stared up at her concerned face for a few moments before I turned away.

"How did you find me?"

"Alice saw where you were headed. We thought we'd give you some time." I looked around thinking maybe I had missed her. "She's still shopping. We were going to wait for you, but figured you probably weren't in the mood to do all of this wedding stuff right now. Alice is taking care of everything."

"I'm sorry I bailed on you guys. You've both been nothing but kind to me and here I am sulking. I've been gone for over a year! You'd think I'd have gotten over it by now." She took the seat next to me on the bench.

"No one expects you to get over losing the life you once had. I would know better than anyone what you're going through right now." I looked up at her confused. "I'm not trying to say that I know your pain, because I don't, but I have my own pain and I've never gotten over it. It's gotten better, of course, but it's never gone away."

"You want to go back?"

"More than anything," she said with a sad smile, "Even Emmett." And the smile disappeared.

"But you love Emmett." She looked at me with pure love and adoration in her eyes, though they were far away.

"I do. That's why it's so hard for me to want humanity back. He understands, of course, and he would give it to me if he could, but I would give up my wonderful Emmett to be human, and to have a family, and to be able to grow old. I know it hurts him that that's the truth and it kills me that I hurt him, but I can't really help it. It's all I ever wanted and I would give anything to be human again."

"I don't think I could give up Edward."

"I don't think you could, either," she laughed.

"Is it the same for all of you?"

"For Esme it is and I know Carlisle would love to give her the family she's always wanted. She sort of has it with us, but it's not the same as holding your child in your arms and watching them grow up. Emmett loves being a vampire, but he would come with me if we somehow found a way. He loves me." She smiled inwardly and then continued.

"Now, Alice? I'm not sure. She doesn't remember being human and she's pretty happy the way she is, but Jasper has a hard time of it. He's the newest to our lifestyle, present company excluded. He has to work hard than the rest of us to stay in control. She would go with him if he wanted to be human, but that goes for him as well. If she wanted to stay, he would stay with her.

"Edward longed for humanity just about as much as I always have. He always thought he was some sort of vicious monster, until you came along of course. Now, I don't know. I don't think he could give you up either. He would go anywhere and do anything for you." I looked at her skeptically. "You don't believe me? He's already faced the Volturi for you and he's about o do it again. You didn't know what he was like before you came into his life. Bella, you bring him to life."

"I guess you're right. He does love me an awful lot. I could feel it when I tapped into Jaspers power."

She smiled knowingly at me then turned away smiling to herself again. We stayed that way in comfortable silence for quite some time. Every single one of the new people in my life were so wonderfully kind to me, even though I was sure that their lives would have been a whole lot simpler if I weren't around. I needed to apologize for my actions.

"Rosalie? I'm really sorry you guys had to restrain me like that."

"Bella, we understand. You reacted on impulse, but you stopped yourself once you realized what would happen. It's okay to miss it."

"Thank you, Rosalie. For everything." I smiled up at her.

"Don't worry about it. I'm here whenever you need to talk about it."

"We should probably get back before Alice decides to go way overboard." She laughed and we were on our way.

After Alice checked to make sure I was okay, she started glowing with excitement and told me all about my upcoming wedding. She apparently thought that I was right about the top hat and decided to leave the jacket out as well.

I imagined Edward in the dress shirt and vest with the grey slacks and grinned. He would be devilishly handsome. She also got the necklace I wanted and some strappy heels that were going to look stunning under the dress. There was a sparkle in her eye that told me she was leaving something out, but she wouldn't budge on the secret.

The drive back to the house was spent talking about how lovely I was going to look the next day for my wedding. I couldn't believe that I was actually starting to have butterflies. We decided to have the wedding right away so that we could spend the rest of the time training for the upcoming fight.

I wanted to do it immediately for two reasons. I didn't know if I would live to see a wedding after the battle and I wanted to make as much love to Edward as physically possible before I died. Edward was good at everything; I could only imagine how good he'd be in the bedroom. That thought sent the butterflies inhabiting my abdomen into a tizzy.

We pulled up to the house and I could hear the most magnificent melody I had ever heard coming from somewhere in the house. It was completely foreign to me and yet I thought it sounded somewhat familiar. I walked up the steps to the Cullen mansion, barely noticing Alice's giggles and the fact that both of my sisters had gathered the days haul and left in a different direction.

I walked through the door and was greeted with Edwards mesmerizing smile as his fingers glided over the keys of the piano. I sat down next to him on the bench and soaked in the beautiful music. It slowly came to an end and he turned to look at me with excited, searching eyes. I smiled at his eagerness to hear me speak my hidden thoughts.

"That was…I can't even tell you how beautiful and amazing that was. What was it?"

"Bella's Lullaby." I looked into his eyes with a sense of awe. "I thought of it back in Volterra, but I finished it while you were gone today. I thought it would be a nice surprise. Do you remember it?" And then I did remember it. It was my saving grace in the most painful experience of my entire existence.

"You sang it to me…when I was changing. I'll never get over how truly lucking I am to have found you." He put is hands on the sides of my face, caressing my cheek with one of his thumbs.

"Only second to how lucky I am to have found _you_." And then he kissed me ever so gently, but I could feel the need, the love, and the passion he was sending me. When he pulled away I could see a trace of worry etched into his perfect face. "What happened that has Rosalie worried about you?"

"Oh, we ran into Charlie today." His eyes flew open in shock and his posture went rigid. "He didn't see me! But I saw him and I wanted to go to him, but Alice and Rose stopped me and I just…I just…" I tried to keep it together for Edward, but the emotions were to strong. "He's not going to get to walk me down the aisle!"

I collapsed into my angel's arms as I cried out my nonexistent tears. He just held me humming my lullaby as I sobbed. It wasn't so much that I wanted to be human as I just wanted to see my mom and dad again and make sure that they were okay. But that wasn't possible. I could never see them again. I finally stopped trebling and looked up into his gorgeous eyes, so full of understanding. There were no words to describe exactly how much he meant to me.

"I'm sorry about that," I said as my trembles faded. He sighed and shook his head at me.

"There's no need to be sorry, Bella. We all long to be human from time to time, and you're still so new to all of this. It's okay to mourn for what you've lost." He was so unbelievably amazing. I still almost couldn't believe that he was real and that he was mine.

"I'll never understand what I did to deserve you, you know that?" He gave me my favorite crooked smile that never failed to take my breath away.

"Silly Bella. You deserve far more than I could ever give you."

I was about to dispute that fact, but he stopped me by crashing his lips to mine. There was nothing I could do at that point but give in. The stupid, angelic, vampire…He just didn't play fair.

* * *

**A/N: So, I cried in this Chapter, but I'm a crier. Just to give you guys a clue as to where this will end, there are four more chapters after this and an Epilogue.**

**Also, I want to know if you guys want to see the story from different POVs, such as Bella's POV during the missing year at Volterra up to when she's turned(which I'm already working on) or Alice's POV back in forks. I'm definitely considering doing some, but I'd like to know which POV you guys want the most!**

**Thanks so much to everyone who reads and extra thanks to those who review. Love you all!**


	14. Calm Before the Storm

**A/N: Thanks for all of the reviews!! You are all so wonderful. Here's Chapter 14 and I'll try to get the rest up fairly quickly. Let me know what you all think!**

~*~Calm Before the Storm~*~

After a good hour–and it was very good–of kissing my vampire boy, Alice stole Edward away to fit his suit for the wedding. I went to see Carlisle and we worked on expanding my power. I was able to tap into Japer, who was helping with my training, with no trouble at all.

After a few more hours I was finally able to tap into Edward's power, even though he was nowhere near me. Carlisle decided that that was enough for one night and I felt a great sense of accomplishment in what I had achieved. I left the office and was nose to nose with Alice who had amusement and determination written all over her face

"Oh, no you don't! You can't see Edward until the wedding." I stared at her disbelievingly.

"The wedding's not for hours! And you've had him to yourself all night."

"Yes, I was getting him ready for your big day, which is what I'm about to do to you right now." She grabbed me by the wrist and led me down the hall to her room where Rosalie was waiting armed with a curling iron and hairspray.

I protested for at least an hour before I closed my mouth and let them work their magic. Although I wasn't a big fan of primping, I did want to look beautiful for Edward on our wedding day and so, secretly, I was grateful. But I wasn't going to admit it to either of the two kidnappers until after I got all of my complaining out.

They poked, prodded, and pulled for hours. It didn't hurt, but it was rather annoying. I never knew how much preparation actually went into getting ready for a wedding. After curling every lock with extreme precision, pinning up my hair meticulously, and fussing with the curls until they lay perfectly down my back, Alice and Rosalie moved to my face.

They took turns working on me and working on themselves. After another painfully long experience, they let me get dressed. I went to reach for my gown, but Alice stepped in my way wearing a devilish smirk. I huffed and crossed my arms. I was done playing makeover even if it was for my wedding.

Her smirk turned into a grin when she held out the most provocative corset and panties I had ever seen. My eyes widened in shock at the ice blue satin and black lace number she was holding up in front of me. Did she actually expect me to wear those under my wedding dress? Alice apparently saw my oncoming outburst because her smug demeanor turned into a scowl.

"Don't be so prudish, Bella. Don't you want to look nice for Edward under the dress, too?"

I opened my mouth to speak, but closed it again snatching the undergarments from her. She had a point. I wanted my wedding night to be special and the scandalizing pieces of lace and satin that now hugged my body were definitely going to set the mood later on.

After Rosalie was happy with the fit of the corset, both her and Alice carefully helped me into my dress, so as to not ruin my hair and makeup. I was supplied with my something old, new, borrowed and blue and then Alice came out of the bathroom with a beautiful garland made of white freesia and the same pale blue ribbon that graced my waistline. She set it on top of my head and pinned it in my hair. Finally, they allowed me to look at myself in the mirror. I gasped.

Even with my enhanced vampire beauty I never expected to be anything special, but as I looked at the person staring back at me I could have cried. I would be beautiful for Edward and for myself on our wedding day.

My hair had been pulled back from my face and fell in gentle curls down my back and the freesia garland resting on my head was the perfect accent to my ensemble. My makeup was soft only accentuating my features in the best way, while the small diamond pendant hung gracefully at my neck. And the dress was still so perfectly me. I was perfect for this one special day.

I turned around in a flash and hugged Alice and Rosalie tightly. They were miracle workers and I decided that I was done complaining. Alice giggled and Rosalie rolled her eyes, but still smiled at my enthusiasm. When I finally let them go, Rosalie handed me a small bouquet made of the same white freesia that adorned my hair and the deepest color of red roses I'd ever seen. It was time.

The closer I got to Edward the more excited I became. Part of me just wanted to run to him, but Alice made me stop at the bottom of the stairs and wait until she and Rose got outside. The butterflies went into overdrive and I had to take deep unneeded breaths to steady myself. Once I was sure that I was in the clear, I started walking again. I went through the door to the backyard and my breath hitched.

The ground was showered in white rose petals and at that precise moment the sun broke through the clouds lighting the scene. Every one of my new family had matching smiles as they sparkled next to the elaborate gazebo Alice decorated with vines, flowers, and ribbons. Inside the small marquee, Edward waited next to Emmett with a look of pure love written in his eyes.

He looked striking in his grey slacks and vest with a slightly larger than fitted dress shirt and a grey and black silk scarf draped his neck instead of a tie. His ensemble was the perfect other half to the dress that I was wearing just as he was the other half to my soul.

The feeling of completion I felt as I walked toward my one and only love was overwhelming. In that moment, nothing else mattered. I was getting married to the most wonderful man I had ever known and the rest of the world could wait. This was my time and his. It was our time to just be.

When I finally reached Edward, Rosalie took my bouquet so that I could hold my love's hands. If I hadn't have been a vampire I wouldn't have noticed that his hands were shaking. I smiled and put a hand to his cheek. He was as nervous as I felt. He smiled my favorite crooked smile and seemed to relax under my touch. Then, he averted his eyes and glared at Emmett.

"Hey, I promised I'd behave. You can't blame me if I only think about being funny."

I laughed at Edward's exasperated look and decided that maybe he didn't need the thoughts of his family right at that second. I felt a little sad when I no longer felt the sensation his power created, but the grateful smile on his face took away that feeling at once. I loved that I could make Edward the smallest bit as happy as he made me.

Emmett started with the usual sentiments, but when we got to the vows Edward and I decided to speak from our hearts. I got to go first and I felt the nerves in my stomach tie into knots, but as I looked into his eyes I felt all of my worries melt away.

"Edward, when my world was crumbling and I thought that there was nothing left, you came into my life and showed me how to feel again. You are my love, my light, my soul and without you I would be incomplete. You are my everything, Edward.

"I know that the battle's not over and that we may not survive, but our love will. I will love you forever, no matter what happens, with you're love, not even death can keep us apart. Forever, Edward. I will love you every second of forever from this day forth for all of eternity."

I cupped his cheek again and smiled brightly. If I could have been crying I would have. I was so happy and it was all because of the vampire boy standing in front of me, giving me his heart as I was giving mine to him.

"Bella, you tell me how happy you are that I saved you from your prison, but I could spend every day for the rest of time without end showing you how much you saved me just as much and it would still never amount to half of what I feel for you. Before you came into my life I was broken, more broken than I ever thought I was.

"It wasn't until you gave me your love that I truly understood the magnitude of how desperately I needed you. We saved each other, Bella, and with every fiber of my being I promise to love and cherish you from this day forth with all of the love in my heart. I love you Isabella Swan and I will love you for as long as love exists."

He rested his forehead upon mine and stared intently into my eyes while Emmett continued with the rest of the vows. We said our 'I do's and exchanged rings and never let go of each other. Standing there in front of our family we were finally whole.

"And, finally, I now pronounce you husband and wife! You may kiss the bride." Edward grabbed me around the waist and dipped me into our first kiss of forever. "Ladies and Gentlemen, may I introduce Mr. and Mrs. Edward Masen Cullen!"

I laughed into Edward's mouth as our family whooped and hollered at our kiss. He smiled back and kissed me one more time before he stood me upright again. We were swarmed at once with hugs and best wishes by our family. Alice pulled us away from the family and put on some music and Edward and I had our first dance.

We went through all of the traditional wedding rituals and when it came time for a father daughter dance, Carlisle asked if I would mind dancing with him. One more time since I had become immortal, I wished I could cry. I loved my family more than any one of them could ever imagine.

The hour grew late as we laughed and enjoyed each other's company. Edward and I were sharing another dance as a married couple when Alice grabbed us both by the hand and dragged us toward the forest. I looked at Edward expecting to see the same bewildered expression, but he just looked smug.

Finally, we stopped in front of a romantic rustic looking cottage and Alice tossed Edward a key. She hugged me quickly and was gone. I turned to my husband and raised a suspicious eyebrow. He chuckled at my expression and swept me off my feet to carry me over the threshold.

"Welcome home," he murmured in my ear. I turned from the charming set up of the living room and looked awestruck into my beautiful angel's eyes.

"When did you do all this?"

"What did you expect me to do while you were getting ready? And I had a little help from Esme," he said sheepishly.

I giggled and pressed my lips to his. He silently asked permission with his tongue and I gave him entrance. He sped to the bedroom and set me down never taking his lips from mine. His hands rested on my hips pulling me close to him. I gasped as I felt how badly he wanted me. I broke away to look into my lover's eyes and was met with such an intensity that my knees almost buckled beneath me.

I stepped back from Edward's embrace and he took a step forward. I held out a hand to stop him and used the other to untie the ribbon from around my waist. He stopped breathing and I smiled as seductively as I could. I let the tulle and lace drop from my shoulders and slide down my body to the ground. I untucked the underdress and let it do the same.

Edward gasped when he saw my special under attire. I ducked my head shyly. I was trying my hardest to be sexy, but I was really nervous. Edward walk toward me and caressed my body with his hands and taking me in with his eyes before lowering his lips to my neck. I let out a small moan in pleasure and Edward growled as he pulled me tighter to his body.

I quickly unbuttoned his vest and shirt as he used his mouth in ways that should have been illegal. He shrugged the offending pieces of clothing onto the floor as my hands roamed over his chest exploring his wondrous body. He used a finger to tear away the strings of the corset and stood back to look at me in all my glory.

"You are so beautiful," he said in a husky voice. I knew I would have blushed had I been human.

Once we were bared of our garments, Edward picked me up again and laid me down in the middle of the king sized bed, climbing up with me and kissing me feverishly. We moved together in the throws of passion, experiencing ecstasy with every touch, every sound, every sensation.

I laid in his arms staring into his beautiful, intense eyes as the sun rose, lighting the bedroom. I giggled as I remembered the night we had just had. He looked at me quizzically.

"And what, may I ask, is so funny?" I giggled some more, but tried to get out my thought.

"I just realized…you're good at _every_thing." He smiled, pleased with himself.

"Well, I had a little help, didn't I? And I think you were quite amazing yourself." I laughed and kissed my new husband again before laying back down on his chest. "I love you, Mrs. Cullen."

I giggled again. "And I love you, Mr. Cullen." Lying there with Edward was pure bliss.

I started thinking about how much I needed to thank everyone, especially Alice, for helping me and just being there for me. I focused on Alice, wondering if she had seen anything since I gave her gift back when I was suddenly thrust into a different place. The next thing I knew was Edward shaking me and calling my name.

I screamed and looked at him with pure fear in my eyes. I had just married the most wonderful creature that ever graced the earth and the time had come for it all to end.

**A/N: Yeah....It's a cliffy. Sorry about that ^_^ But the next chapters will be up quickly! I promise! So, this chapter...Good? Bad? Ugly? What did you think? And go check out Lessons in Forrbidden Love. It's my AU-Human story about a young English Teacher(Edward) who falls in love with his favorite student (Belle). There will be sex in the later chapter's but this story is about the love, not the lust. Think Romeo and Juliet...but without the suicide.**


	15. Will to Fight

**A/N: Apologies! A million apologies! Life as been so hectic lately and I completely bailed on you guys. For that, I am sorry. Well, here's the next chapter. I hope you like it.**

~*~Will to Fight~*~

"No," I whispered. It couldn't be. It was too soon and there were too many. "No, no, NO!"

"Bella, calm down! What happened?!" I stared into Edward's eyes and felt the pain of reality rip me apart.

I pulled him into my arms as tightly as I could and I broke into earth shattering sobs. If this was the end I never wanted to let him go. He pulled me away from him with great difficulty and stared intently into my eyes. He was trying to be strong, but I could still see the worry hidden beneath the façade.

"Bella, you need to tell me what's going on." It took me a second to stop trembling and crying, but I finally pulled enough control to tell him.

"They're coming. I saw it. The Volturi are coming and they'll be here in less than a week. They…There are so many. We can fight them all. We can't!" I broke into sobs again and this time Edward pulled me into him. I could feel the tension in is body.

"Bella, did you have one of Alice's visions?" I nodded into his chest. "We're going to have to go talk to Carlisle, okay?"

I nodded again and without hesitation Edward cradled me in his arms and ran to the house. I could hear the voices of my family, playing, enjoying each other, and then I heard Alice quiet the sounds of their happiness. All I ever did was bring pain to the ones that I loved and before no time at all I was surrounded by my family, all asking what had happened.

Edward set me on the ground and walked to Carlisle. The rest of my family tried to comfort me, but I stepped back from them and collapsed to the ground. I had no right to be comforted when I would be the cause of all of their deaths. As hard as I tried, I couldn't shake the vision from my memory.

The other vampires, none of them even gave us a chance to explain. There was no semblance of order, just a full fledged attack on everyone that I loved. There were hundreds of them. They came forward without a second thought and we didn't even have a chance to fight. My family was being ripped apart, in every definition of the word, and I could do nothing.

Words filled with fear and anger pulled me from my thoughts. Edward was telling me to stop doing something, but I couldn't understand what he was talking about until I looked down at the blackened grass where I sat. It didn't make sense. When I fell the grass had been green, but now it looked as if it had been scorched.

"Bella, this is not your fault! You have to snap out of this or Alice's first vision will come to pass. Do you want that? Bella, we will not let anything happen, do you hear me? Stop blaming yourself!"

I stared into Edward's eyes as he pleaded with me to stop destroying the earth that I laid on. I understood. My powers were directly tied to my emotions and if I couldn't control those then there was no hope at all.

I felt a new sense of determination fall over me. I only had six days till we faced our destiny and I would do everything in my power to prevent my vision from coming to pass. I would protect my family if it was the last thing I ever did. The despair I felt vanished and was replaced with the same energy I had come accustomed to since Italy.

I focused on the current it took inside my body, feeling every muscle in my body tense and tingle with electricity. If Aro wanted me dead, he was going to have to fight for it because I was going to fight with everything that I had.

I pressed my open hands to the deadened earth and let the power flow to my palms. I closed my eyes as I felt the life of every single blade of grass grow and flourish. I could almost see the life of every seed in my mind as they thrived under my power.

When I opened my eyes to look at my family they were all silent with mouths agape at the trick I had just showed them. I felt a little shocked, myself at the power I had just controlled. Slowly, their stunned expressions turned into small smiles and Alice flung herself into my arms.

"You have no idea how scared I was. Don't do that again." I laughed and nodded my head. She smiled a bit, but her expression turned serious and curious. "I don't understand. I've been watching them and I didn't have that vision. How did you get one so clear?"

"Bella is stronger than you are," Carlisle answered. "Aro knows how to deflect your power by making few definite decisions as we learned in Volterra. Bella was obviously able to get past that defensive strategy."

"Let's get started preparing, Carlisle," I said in an authoritative tone. "We have less than a week and I still don't know how to control my power. I'm going to be afraid when they come and I can't let that affect me."

And so we worked. We worked without break for three days straight on my powers. Destroying Aro's army with my gift was conceivably the only way to survive. I was able to kill flowers, but it was much harder to bring forth the emotion I needed to heal them and even then, I could only use my power on a small scale. I was never able to manipulate anything larger than a sapling.

On the fourth day, Carlisle noticed that my power was getting weaker every second. Where once I could kill a whole tree, now I could only kill its leaves. I didn't know what was wrong with me. I was working as hard as I could and nothing was helping me. Edward pulled me into him to relax me, but when he looked into my eyes his face changed.

"I'm such an idiot! Bella, when was the last time you hunted?" I looked at him confused. Carlisle wore the same expression as my beautiful Edward.

"You know when the last time I hunted was. It was with you in Italy." Carlisle pinched the bridge of his nose and then looked up to explain.

"Bella, you are a newborn. You should be feeding every few days, but with everything that's been happening and your outstanding self-control, we failed to follow up on your thirst. Once you hunt, you'll be stronger. In fact, we should all hunt."

"You talk to the rest of the family. I'm taking Bella now." Edward didn't wait for Carlisle's response before we were racing our way deeper into the surrounding woods.

I set off immediately in search of something to sustain me. Deer after deer after deer, I drank. I found a bear and even a mountain lion to feed on. I drank more than I thought was possible and I realized that just because I didn't feel the thirst as intensely as other vampires didn't mean I didn't need to keep myself fed.

When I was finally done devouring twelve animals in all, I turned to Edward to find him watching me with awe and lust. I had not been with Edward since our wedding night and I knew it was just as hard on him as it was on me. I raked my eyes over is exposed chest. He had already taken off his shirt in anticipation.

When I returned his lust filled gaze with a small growl, he tackled me to the forest floor pinning my hands above my head. When he kissed me he was not gentle and he ripped the remains of my clothes from my body with more passion than I'd ever felt. Soon, both of us were naked and fighting for dominance over the other.

When he finally took me, he was rough and sensuous. He was like a beast as was I. In that moment, we felt a need so great that it took over my senses and his until we were engaged in the most primal of acts in the most animalistic way. We needed each other fully and we pushed each other to the brink of ecstasy over and over until eventually we returned to reality.

We laid side by side, wrapped in each other's embrace for what seemed like hours on end, but was in actuality only a few minutes. We had taken from the other what we had to in a need that was so basic, it preceded man itself. When Edward pulled away, I could see the same silent determination in his eyes that resided deep inside my being.

With one simple act, we had reassured each other that no matter what was to happen, we had one another, always. Death meant nothing to our love. Whatever happened the next day would happen and we were both at peace with whatever fate had in store for us. We were ready to face our destiny.

My clothes were in pieces, so Edward wrapped his shirt around me and quickly did up the buttons. We went straight back to the house knowing that the other couples were most likely reassuring each other in a similar manner as my husband and I had just done.

I changed into a pair of designer jeans that Alice had bought me and I left on the slate grey dress shirt Edward had put me in. If I was going to die, I wanted to be as close to him as possible.

Edward threw on a long sleeved, black Henley and we waited in each other's arms for our family to return. The firsts to come back were Esme and Carlisle. They said nothing, but waited with us as Alice and Jasper returned closely followed by Emmett and Rosalie.

I separated myself from Edward, but kept a firm hold on his hand as I led our family to the spot next to the river where I saw the massacre taking place. I tried to calm myself and convince myself that it would be different this time, but I was still dreading it.

If the vision played out then we would all die, but I think I was more afraid of what I had to do for that reality to change. It felt wrong to destroy everyone just for believing in the lies Aro told. If I was to do what was surely the only option, then I would be murdering unknowing individuals. How could I execute them for not knowing?

I wished that there was some way that I could tell, some way to determine if what they were doing was out of fear or joy. But how would that help? None would listen to our pleas no matter what drove them to kill us. But if I could somehow see, then maybe I wouldn't feel as horrible as I did.

I opened my eyes, not realizing that I had closed them, and gasped. I could feel Edward tense beside me, but I couldn't tear my eyes away from the beauty in front of me. Everything was alight, the flowers, the trees, the grass; the earth was glowing with life. I turned to my family to ask if they saw what I was seeing and gasped even louder.

The plants' and the trees' magnificence failed in comparison to the lights of the one's that I loved. They were absolutely radiant. I looked at their confused worried faces and realized that I was, in fact, the only one that could see it. I was staring at the very essence of each of them, of everything.

My breath caught in my throat. I couldn't do this. I couldn't take away that light from anyone, no matter what the reason. It wasn't my place to kill something so beautiful.

Before I knew it, I was in Edward's arms and I realized that I had been hyperventilating. Everything was crushing in around me and I couldn't breathe even if I didn't technically have to. I pulled away from Edward to look at my family.

"You have to leave, now! I can't do this! I thought I could, but I can't! Please! You must be safe!" I pleaded with them to leave me, but they didn't move. Carlisle moved forward and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"We understand, Bella. I think we never really expected you to actually do this. We're here until the end, Bella. We face this together."

I felt Edward tense as he heard the first thoughts of the oncoming army and I knew it was too late. The Cullen family would fall. I watched the trees across the river as the murderous vampires made their way forward. They were moving with supernatural speed, but the scene being played out before me was in slow motion.

The mass of immortals were coming in at us from all sides. Volturi mixed with unknown faces closed in on our position with no hesitance in their attack. They were here to kill. I looked at Edward's resigned face as he studied my features and then I turned to my family to see them doing the same with their mates.

They had given up, I had given up and it felt wrong. There had to be something I could do, but I was weak. I hated being weak. I needed to be strong. Before I could think any more I felt Edward ripped from my arms and I screamed.

**A/N: Yeah, I know it's a cliffie. It's worth it though! Tell me what you think so far!**


	16. Saying Goodbye, part 1

**A/N:Thanks so much for the awesome reviews! I hope you enjoy the first installment to the end of the story.**

~*~Saying Goodbye, part 1~*~

The loss of my love's embrace triggered something inside of me. Everything had been weighing in upon me and taking Edward from my arms was the breaking point. I snapped and as my cries pierced through the air, there was a blinding light from the energy that flowed through me. When I could see again, time was frozen in place.

I turned to see Emmett launching himself between Felix and Rosalie. The look on Felix's face was one of pure evil and I could see nothing, but darkness around him. I could feel nothing good from him at all and it scared me almost as much as the altered state of reality I was living in at that moment.

I shifted my gaze a little more to see two vampires that I didn't recognize holding Jasper. One had its teeth at Jasper's neck almost breaking the skin. I winced when I saw the female vampire that had Alice around the waist as my sister tried to reach out to Jasper to no avail.

Esme had her back to Carlisle crouched and ready to fight off Hajj. Kale had is teeth sunk into Carlisle's arm as he tried to shield Esme. It was no use, because three more vampires were right there about to join in the demolition of two of the most beautiful souls I had ever seen.

I turned once more to see my beautiful Edward trying to fight off four vampires at once And hissed. I wanted to destroy them all right there, but as I looked closer I could see a tiny light emanating from each of them. They weren't hopeless, yet.

Then I noticed the direction of Edward's pained gaze. Demetri was crouched directly in front of me as he was obviously about to take me out. Again, I saw and felt nothing but hatred and darkness resonating from his frozen form.

All of it was frozen like someone had pressed the pause button. I stood in place looking over the sight before me and started hyperventilating with unneeded air. It was all to much. Had I done this? Did someone else?

"You shouldn't be scared. This is all your doing, you know." I jerked my head around to find who was talking. There was no one moving. Then the female talked again. "Don't you recognize your own voice?"

No, it couldn't be. But it was. I replayed the voice in my head and realized it was my own, then, there I was, as clear as day, standing in front of myself like a mirror. It had to be a trick. Some vampire here had gotten through my defenses and was messing with my head. That had to be it. I was not going crazy!

"No, you're not crazy. And I'm not a trick. I'm you and I'm only here to help you discover what you already know."

"What are you talking about?!" I screamed at the vision. It was all to surreal.

"I'm part of your subconscious. A guide, I guess you could say. You have all of the answers you need; you just have to look into your heart, Bella. You know what to do."

"But I don't! I don't know what to do other than destroy everything. I can't do that, I won't!"

"You don't have to, Bella. Look at what you've gone through, what you've experienced. Look at your family. They'll give you the answers. Help them, Bella. Help them all be free." She started to fade as if she was a projection on dissipating fog.

"No, wait! I don't know what to do!"

"Yes, you do, Bella. Think, think and look into you're heart, look into all of their hearts. You know what you have to do…" and then she was gone.

I turned back to my family, panicking. Had I really caused time to stop? I could still feel the power flowing through me as I looked at the still figures surrounding me. It had to be my doing, but why? What good would it do? I couldn't extinguish all of those flames of life, but if I allowed them to live, they would murder my family.

It was all so complicated! I couldn't just let them do as they wished, but they didn't know Aro's lies. They didn't know mine and my family's hearts. Carlisle said that I would save all of them, all of us, but what if he was wrong. How could I save anyone from the disaster that was coming?

I turned and I saw Rosalie, face full of fear and pain as Emmett dove in front of her attacker. They all loved each other so much and I loved all of them. If only I could give them the lives that they deserved, the lives that were stolen from them by this monstrous fate. But I couldn't, could I?

And then, as if some haze had lifted to reveal all truth, I knew what I had to do. I was weak before, but now I could feel the power that could give them the lives that they should have always had. How had I not seen it before?

The energy surged through me as I looked into the souls of all who were present. Some were brighter than others, some were barely hanging on, and some…some like Felix and Demetri had no soul left to save.

I walked at measured pace to where Aro was standing, enjoying his seeming victory, and placed my hand so that I was gripping his neck. He gasped to life as if he'd just broken the surface of a pool of water, sucking in the first air after a dive. The rest of his body remained frozen in time.

"Bella," he whispered, truly frightened, as he looked at our surroundings. "What is this? Bella, you wouldn't hurt me, would you?!" Part of me really wished that I could help him, but he had made his own bed to lie in. I had no other choice.

"I wish, Aro, that I could save you. But you have nothing left to save. You've only destroyed yourself with your greed. I'm sorry, Aro."

I tightened my grip on his throat only slightly as I let the power pulse through me. I listened to his screams as I burned his soulless shell. His cries got louder and louder until his body turned to ash in my hand. Aro was no more. I looked around the members of the guard that I knew. I was disheartened to see so many hopeless immortals.

Vampire after vampire, they were all shrouded in darkness. And then, it was so small I had almost missed it, I saw the tiniest flicker of light coming from my original captor. If I could only save one of the Volturi, I was glad it would be her.

Heidi was as cruel as the next when it came to me, but there was always some sense of right about her. She never took pleasure in drinking my blood and I think in her own way, it was what she could do to hold on to some part of humanity, to not seek gratification in my torture. I touched my fingers to Heidi's face and again let the electricity pulse through my body.

Healing trees and flowers was a lot different than trying to change the molecular structure of a creature, but somewhere in my mind I knew what I had to do. I could almost see each and every corrupted, poisoned cell returning to health and life.

Heidi's cheeks flooded with pink and her stance relaxed. Her eyes glossed over as I entered her memories and reached into her heart. With a small tap of my fingers to her chest, her heart jumpstarted and she gasped just before she gracefully fell to the ground in a restful sleep. She was human again.

I closed my eyes and let myself feel the evil of the world separating the lights, however dim they were, from those with nothing but greed and hatred and darkness in their hearts. I could feel every immortal on every surface of the planet. I expanded the energy slowly as to not overexert myself. Within minutes I had all of them within my grasp.

I let the electricity vibrate trough the air, the ground, and the subconscious. I let it fill the earth with power and then I changed everything. I could feel the souls I saved becoming brighter and the evil I destroyed being erased from the world's radar.

Nothing remained the same. I radiated the blinding light once more to finalize my actions and then collapsed to the ground, holding my head in my hands and hearing the world come back to life around me. I could hear birds chirping and new hearts beating. It was like music.

"Bella," I heard an apprehensive voice call from behind me.

I stood slowly taking in my surroundings through every one of my senses before opening my eyes. Out of the hundred fifty vampires that came to destroy my family I had only managed to save about seventy. It broke my heart that if I had maybe been a little sooner I could have save at least one more soul.

I turned to look at my family, still vampires and very scared. I could see the fear in their eyes as they looked between me and the sleeping human bodies surrounding us. It hurt me to no end to see them look at me like that and I prayed that they would listen to me before running from me.

"Please, don't fear me. I couldn't bare it." Edward's tense body relaxed and he strode over and wrapped me in his arms without hesitation.

"Never, Bella. We don't fear you. We just want to know what happened is all." I looked up into his eyes searching and knew he was telling me the truth.

"They're gone. All of them. We are the only ones left. I saved as many as I could, but I couldn't save what wasn't there. I would have turned you all as well, but I wanted to say goodbye first, if that's alright?" They all looked at me confused.

"Bella," Carlisle spoke first, "Who's gone? And what do you mean you wanted to say goodbye?"

"Vampires. Werewolves. Monsters. I killed the ones I could not save. The rest are human now. You helped me with that, Carlisle. You helped me figure out what I could do with altering matter and reality, so I did. You all helped me in a way. You gave me the strength I needed to realize my full potential. I never could have done it without you." I turned to Edward.

"Especially you. If it weren't for you I don't think I would have survived this." I turned my gaze on Carlisle again. "And goodbye, because I'm going to give you all the same gift of humanity." Alice scowled.

"Aren't you coming with us?" she demanded. I could feel the prickling feeling in the back of my eyes and all of the sudden a tear fell. I laughed.

"I must have made a few changes that I wasn't aware of. Of all the times I wanted to cry and now…" More tears fell from my eyes, but I kept my voice controlled, if a little husky with emotion. "I wish I could come with you, but I would die if I tried to turn myself. A human body wouldn't be able to handle this power."

They all stared at me with pain evident in their eyes. They deserved this and I would give it to them even if it meant losing my family. I walked to Rosalie and Emmett first. I knew I would receive no fight from them.

"I love you, Rosalie, Emmett, so much that it breaks my heart, but you will be happy and you will have your family." Rosalie pulled me into a hug, sobbing along with me, though she still had no tears to shed.

"I will never forget you, ever." I cried harder at her conviction.

She would forget me, because she would be happier that way. They would all still be a family, just without me. None of them could ever know that I existed. When Rosalie released me Emmett picked me up off the ground and squeezed me tight. I didn't notice it until he had me in his arms, but he was also shaking.

"You were the best little sister ever. Don't you ever forget that."

He held me for a long moment before setting me down and I turned to Carlisle who was holding a sobbing Esme in his arms. She ripped away from him and pulled me to her so fast I almost missed the motion.

She could barely get out the words, but I understood her perfectly. She loved me more than words could express. I was her daughter and in her heart, I would always be her daughter. Although I would erase her memories of me, some part of her would always remember. She stepped back and collapsed.

Emmett held my second mother as I said my goodbyes to Carlisle. From the expression on his face, I knew he figured out that he would not remember me. I was pulled into yet another hug and I held on for dear life as my tears stained his shirt. This man helped save me from my prison and I could never thank him enough for what he had done for me. He pulled back and cupped my cheek in his hand.

"You have no idea what a gift you are to this family. You will always have a place here, Bella, always. No matter what, you are never alone." The intensity in his eyes was staggering. I had no words, so I nodded. Next I turned to Alice who was just shaking her head, trying to hold back the sobs.

"No, you're not getting rid of me that easy. I'm not going." My tears were falling so freely it was hard to believe I had more to shed.

"Alice, this is for the best." Her eyes grew wide and defiant and her nostrils flared.

"I said no! I'm not leaving you! I don't remember being human so I won't know what I'm missing."

"That's exactly why it's important, Alice. You never got the chance to live a normal life. Don't you want a family with Jasper? To be able to hold you're baby in your arms?" She could no longer control her emotions.

"Please, Bella, don't do this to me! Please! I need you! You're my best friend!"

She was shaking with the force behind her cries. All I could do was hold on to her and cry my own tears. I didn't want to lose my best friend, my sister, but it was what was best for her. She had to live her life the way she was always meant to live it.

After what seemed a lifetime of tears I finally pulled away giving her a kiss on the cheek. The look she gave me broke my heart into pieces. It pained me far worse than any physical abuse would ever do. I had to close my eyes and collect myself before turning to Jasper.

"Take care of her for me." He nodded and pulled me into him and wrapped his arms firmly around my body. I was slightly taken aback. He had been the most cautious to accept me, but now I could feel the emotions of dread and sadness rolling off of him.

"You are the best thing that has happened to any of us, Bella. Be happy, always."

I cried into his chest, but mustered a smile when he pulled away. I had never expected how devastated I would actually be giving my family the gift I so badly wanted to give them. But I knew that the pain I was feeling was nothing compared to the pain I was about to inflict on myself.

Slowly, I turned to Edward. I had been dreading this moment since I realized what it was that I had to do. He looked at me and although his eyes were determined, I could still see the worry in them. He knew that I was about to turn him away to save him from the fate he hated so much.

"Don't you dare try to say goodbye to me, Bella. I told you once and I'll tell you again, I will never leave you. Where you go, I go. Forever." I smiled sadly. I wanted that to be true so badly it hurt, but I couldn't deny him the life he should have had.

"You could have a happy life with someone. You could have a family." It pained me to think of him with someone other than me, but he deserved everything that I couldn't give him and everything that I could. I couldn't give him a family, but I could give him humanity.

"The only way I'm becoming human is if you come with me. If you can't, I'm not. Any life without you, Bella, is not much of a life."

"Edward, you could be happy. Truly happy. You don't know…" He cut me off.

"One," he stated with fortitude.

"What?"

"I've only ever loved one person in over one hundred years, Bella. I know what life would be like without you. I can't live without you whether you erase my memories or not. I _won't_ live without you. We were always meant to be. You can't change destiny."

"You're erasing our memories of you?! No!" Alice was in a rage.

"Alice, I'm sorry, but you can't remember being a vampire." Her face contorted in pain and she turned to Jasper's chest. Everything was falling apart.

I wanted to go comfort Alice, but I still had to convince Edward to say goodbye. I tried to dissuade my love once more, but my argument was losing steam. I wanted him so bad and if he wanted to stay and make me happy, didn't I deserve that? He was my light, my one true love, and he wanted to stay with me.

"Okay," I said resigned. His face lightened. "Say goodbye your family."

"So, I'm losing my best friend and my brother?! I can't lose you both, please!" Alice screamed.

"Alice, you'll be fine," Edward tried to calm her. "You'll have Jasper, and Rosalie and Emmett, and Carlisle and Esme. You'll have a family."

"No. I refuse to go. I refuse to lose both of you. You are keeping us vampires." She turned to Jasper questioning and he nodded. He would go wherever she went. "Don't do this to us, Bella. It's not what we want." More tears streamed down my face. This was becoming more difficult than I thought.

"Alice, please! You have to have the life you deserve!"

"So I don't deserve a life with my best friend?! Am I not that important?!"

"No! Alice! That's not what I meant! Please!" I was begging her to understand.

"I want a life with my husband, my brother, and my best friend. If that's not what I deserve then, I guess I'll be turned human." She turned away from me and clung to Jasper.

Damn it! Why was she making things so difficult? I wanted to keep her with me always, but she deserved to be happy with Jasper. She deserved to have a family of her own and grow old and have grandchildren.

"Alice, please, try to understand. You could be so happy. That's all I want for you is to be happy. I love you so much, please understand that I'm not throwing you away. I'm trying to give you what you ought to have. I would never leave you if I had a choice."

"But you do have a choice, Bella," Jasper cut in. "We want to stay. Later, if we choose to leave, you can turn us then, but please, let us stay."

I tried my hardest to keep up my argument, but the happiness that overtook me when my resolve shattered was almost euphoric. I never wanted to give Alice away and she wanted to stay just as much. I grabbed a hold of her as we both crumpled to the ground sobbing.

"You need to say goodbye, now." She nodded and stood.

I watched as Alice and Jasper cried through their farewells. When they were done, Edward turned me to him and kissed me before saying his goodbye's as well. My heart was breaking for Esme, but this is what she wanted and she wouldn't remember the loss of her once family.

When all was said and done, Edward came back to stand next to Alice and Jasper. I stepped forward and put a hand to Rosalie's cheek. She closed her eyes and leaned into me.

"You will have a wonderful life, all of you. You are still my family no matter how life separates us, but now you will be able to have your own families. I love you all. Goodbye."

And I felt another tear fall from my lashes as pink flooded the faces of the four members of my family that I would never see again. I stepped back as they fell to the ground and then I collapsed. Edward caught me and held me to him for all it was worth. It was worth more than words could express. In his arms I knew everything would be okay. In his arms I was whole.

After a long while of crying in my angel's arms, I stood to do the one thing that I had wanted to do since the day I was taken. It was time to say goodbye to my mother and father.

**A/N: So, I cried like a baby when I wrote this. It is sad, but it's the only way I could end it and be happy with it. Next, Bella gets to say goodbye to her human life and then the Epilogue. I love reviews seriously. And they make me update faster. I don't do it on purpose, it's just the way it is, haha.**


	17. Saying Goodbye, part 2

**A/N: My lovlies, Your awesomeness awes me. You are all so amazing that I decided to post the next chapter right now.**

~*~Saying Goodbye, part 2~*~

With finally being able to understand my powers came several choices that I had to make. The first came when trying to say goodbye to my family. And I decided to honor their wishes to the best of my ability. Edward stayed by my side as did Jasper and Alice. They refused to leave me though I fought with every fiber of my being to convince them that they would be happier human.

They won the argument and I did my best to help them with what I could. I couldn't take away the thirst, but I could lessen it and that's exactly what I did. Jasper was adjusting very well to his new control. I made as many changes as I could make for certain without risking their immortality, tears included. They gave up being human for me and I wanted to get them as close as I could.

The next choice I had to make was probably the hardest. I knew without a doubt that the world could not remember me as a vampire, but I had been human. Should I take away the memories of my human self and let my parents feel whole again? Would they feel whole again?

I rationalized that it wasn't fair to them to erase their only daughter from their memories, but in truth, I was being selfish. I didn't want Renee and Charlie to forget me and worse than that, I wanted to say goodbye; to let myself be truly free of my old life and move on. I had to or I would always wonder.

I could hear light conversation coming from the house as Edward and I approached. Alice and Jasper were securing our new identification papers while I indulged in one last thing before we started our small family over in a new place.

Since my disappearance my mom would visit my dad constantly which was what she was doing now. I was happy that I could say goodbye all at once. Edward stopped just before the door. If I didn't know him so well, I probably wouldn't have known that he was nervous. I quickly read his thoughts and smiled slightly.

"They won't recognize you. You don't exist to them anymore. And…" I had to pause for a moment as not to laugh, "I'm sure they will love you."

He relaxed slightly, but I could tell he was still anxious. I couldn't believe that he was actually nervous about meeting my parents. It seemed so trivial compared to everything we had been through. I took his hand and calmed him using one of my acquired powers; this one being from Jasper. He shot me an amused look and I smiled despite what was coming.

I focused my energy to dull the minds of the three adults in the kitchen. If this was going to work, they couldn't be completely conscious. I walked through the door to my father's house, hand in hand with the one thing in the world that was keeping me grounded. Suddenly Edward's nerves didn't sound so silly to me anymore.

My mother was the first to see me and although she was in a dream state, I'm sure seeing the daughter she thought to be dead was a trifle unnerving. She gasped and the two men of her life turned and saw me as well. They stood and we all stared at each other for some time before my mom moved around the table and hesitantly toward me, placing a hand against my cheek.

"Bella?" she asked in a whisper. I nodded and felt a single tear fall from the corner of my eye. "You…you're alive!"

My mom threw her arms around me and it took everything I had not to let out the sob that had been building in my chest.I unhooked my mom's arms and looked at her with a sad smile.

"I'm not mom. But I've been granted my wish to say goodbye." She looked at me in confusion before my words sank in and when they did she hugged me tighter than I ever thought possible and cried with a vengeance.

"No! My baby! You're here! I can't live without you anymore!" My heart was breaking. I was so selfish. My parents had accepted their loss and I took that away from them. I had to make it right.

"Yes you can, mom. You've been doing a fine job of it so far and I'm happy now, mom. There's no pain anymore. I'm free."

My mom looked pleadingly at me. And then for the first time, she noticed Edward. Her gaze shifted back to me in question. I smiled…a genuine smile that only Edward would draw out of me in a time so sad.

"Mom, I would like you to meet my angel." My mom's eyes widened in shock and then awe. "I was in a bad place, mom. I didn't know how I would survive it, but then I met Edward. He saved me. He brought me peace and love and happiness. I'm so happy now, mom, happier than I ever thought I could be and now it's time for you to be happy, too."

I saw a sense of peace fall over my mother's face and she nodded. I heard a muffled sob and turned to Charlie. Tears streamed down his face and I couldn't help the wetness that was streaking down my own. I was tired of trying to be strong so I let the tears fall. That was my dad, the man who I knew so little about and yet I felt like I knew everything about, we were so similar.

"Dad." I couldn't help but sound like a child. I wanted to spend forever there getting to know him more, but I knew that that forever was impossible. I had to let him know how much I loved him. "I think that I regret not being able to live here with you the most. I think that I might have actually grown to love it like you do." I glanced at Edward and half smiled before turning back to look at Charlie. "I'm so sorry, dad. I wish I could have had more time with you."

"Bells…" was all my dad got out before he broke into another sob.

Charlie flung himself into my arms. I loved him so much and as happy as I was, I felt like life had robbed me of my time with him. I cried into his chest for what seemed like a lifetime. I saw out of the corner of my eye, Edward standing with my mom silently communicating with her that he would take care of me. And he would as he had since the moment he met me. Finally, I pulled away from Charlie and cupped a hand to his face.

"You're going to be okay, dad. I love you so much, never forget that." He nodded and I turned to Phil. It seemed like tears were a hot commodity in that kitchen. Phil wiped his eyes and sniffed.

"Hey, Bella," he said trying to be strong. I hadn't known Phil for very long before I was imprisoned, but he took to me like a father would in the short time I did know him.

"Phil." I wrapped my arms around is waist for a short moment and then pulled back to look at him. "Phil, I need you to take care of them for me. I think you're doing a great job, so far. Thank you."

Phil nodded and pulled me in for one more hug. I sighed and then walked back to stand next to Edward. My angel took my hand in his and held tight to reassure me. I turned back to my parents and said my final farewell silently with my eyes before casting them all into sleep. I didn't think I would have been able to say another goodbye out loud.

I turned to Edward and gave him the most significant look I could. He had saved me in more ways than he could ever have imagined and he kept doing it. I loved him so much. He flashed me his crooked smile. He understood. And then we left my parents forever.

As we ran through the forest to meet with Jasper and Alice, I could feel Edward studying me. Finally, he slowed to a stop and looked at me questioningly and concerned. I should have known that he would catch on to anything I tried to hide whether he could read my mind or not.

"Are you okay?" he asked. I nodded, but he didn't believe me as I knew he wouldn't. I sighed.

"I just can't help but think that I hurt them by being so selfish." I looked up into his eyes expecting to see disappointment, maybe, or confirmation, but all I saw was love and adoration.

"Bella, they needed that goodbye as much as you did. You were taken, not killed. They never had closure and although they assumed you gone there was still a little piece in all of them that was holding on to you coming home to them. They are truly at peace with it now, Bella. You gave them that."

I thought that Edward was just trying to comfort me at first, but when I looked into his eyes I saw the truth in his statement. It was more than I could take. After all of the tears I cried for my vampire family and then for my human one, I figured that I didn't have anymore tears to shed, but hot streams flowed from my eyes.

The tears this time, however, were different. There was sadness, of course, but there was also happiness, understanding, and hope. Everything was as it was supposed to be. I closed my eyes for a few seconds to feel the peace that was filling my soul and then I shed no more tears.

I smiled and stared into my love's eyes for another moment before we were off to start our lives anew. I had lost two families, but it was not a bad thing. With those families I had known some of the greatest love that a person could know and I had given everything of myself to those that I loved. I had fulfilled my destiny. It was finally time for me to be free.

**A/N: So, this is the technical end to the story. We still have the Epilogue that I personally love, so…let me know what you think! Like I said before, I love reviews! And they make me update faster ^_^**


	18. Epilogue

**A/N: Ah! You guys are amazing ^_^ Her's the Epilogue! And if you like my writing, go check out Lesson's in Forbidden Love. Ir's an AU-All Human with Edward as Bella's English teacher. This story is NOT about sex. I focus on the love and the angst of a t/s relationship. Now, ENJOY!!!**

~*~Epilogue~*~

It had been close to twenty-five years since the day I left the tiny, rainy town of Forks, Washington. Alice, Jasper, Edward and I had moved from state to state and sometimes even to different countries to start a brand new life with brand new names.

We weren't always able to start out young because of the lack of a guardian, but we did the best we could. It was enough to be with Edward, but the inconsistency of moving so often had taken its tool. Had my memory not been perfect, I doubt that I could have remembered all of the many places we stayed and homes we had.

Maybe home isn't the right word. None of the places we lived ever truly felt like home and the saying, 'home is where the heart is,' comes to mind. I only lived in Forks for two weeks, but so many pieces of my heart were left behind when I left. It was the place that my father had lived before he passed. It was the place that saved me from my hell. It was the place where I said goodbye to almost everyone that I cared about. It was my home.

I breathed a sigh of relief as I stood outside the office of Forks High School, holding Edward's hand. It was late November, just after three in the afternoon and we had just registered for classes. Edward (freshman) and Jasper Whitlock (sophomore) were brothers who lived with Alice Brandon (sophomore) and Bella Masen (freshman), all of whom were emancipated minors and just moved there from New York.

With that story, the four of us could stay in Forks for up to six years if we wanted to and with being in the same grades, we were able to have matching schedules with our spouses. I was pulled out of my thoughts by a tap on the shoulder. I turned around to see a tall girl with beautiful blonde locks and flawless skin. She looked to be about eighteen.

"You must be the new students. My name's Rebecca McCarty. You can call me Reece. My aunt volunteered me to show you guys around." She looked panicked for a second. "Not that I don't want to! I mean…" I started laughing and held up my hand to stop the needless rambling.

"Don't worry about it. I'm Bella, this is Edward, Alice, and Jasper." I pointed to my family. She looked at us appraisingly and smiled. There was something about that smile that was very familiar as well as her name and I searched my memory as Reece led us through the halls to her aunt's classroom.

"So, I know it probably seems a little pushy, but my aunt has a really big heart and she was all worried because you all live alone and you're kind of coming over for dinner tonight. Actually, you'll probably be spending a lot of time with my family seeing as it's the holidays and all. I wouldn't argue if I were you. Either you'll lose anyway or you'll hurt her feelings."

We got to the small English classroom and I froze in the doorway along with the other three members of my family. Suddenly, I knew exactly why the girl was familiar. Her smile, along with her name, belonged to her father, Emmett McCarty and her aunt was none other than Esme Cullen, my second mother. I turned to my family, but I was the only one in shock. Alice, Edward and Jasper were all looking at me smiling.

"Surprise," Edward whispered. "I know you were wondering about them. She looks happy, doesn't she?"

The love I felt for my husband in that moment was staggering. He knew even though I never said a word. I turned back to the middle aged woman now walking toward us. It was all I could do to control my breathing and not cry.

"It's so wonderful to finally meet all of you. The town's been abuzz for the past week. It's so awful what you all have been through and to live on your own at such a young age. I want you to know that you can come to me for anything that you need. Don't hesitate."

Esme smiled the same heartwarming smile that I had seen when she welcomed me into her family and all I could do was nod. She invited us to dinner and the taste of food was a small price to pay to be able to see my family again. She led us to an SUV and drove us to the house that I knew so very well on the outskirts of town.

Nothing had changed. It was exactly the same as it had been when we left. Edward eyed the piano longingly. We bought a piano sometimes, but with having to move so often there were long periods of time that he couldn't play. It had been two years since the last time he sat at a piano.

"Do you play, dear?" Esme asked Edward. He nodded. "Oh, you should play something! Neither Carlisle nor I play and the children have no interest. To be perfectly honest, I can't even remember why we bought it."

Edward smiled and walked slowly to his old piano. He took a long moment to take in the glossy wood and the slick curves before sitting at the bench and stroking the ivory keys with delicate fingers. He began to play my lullaby. It had been so long since I heard it outside of my memories. He played so beautifully it was almost heartbreaking to watch.

The music drifted into Esme's favorite song and I heard a small intake of breath from my once mother. She recognized it. Edward's smile grew and he played with renewed vigor as he finished the piece and returned to me. Emse was still looking at him with an emotion that I couldn't place.

"She knows us," Edward said so low that only the four vampires in the room could hear. "She doesn't know why, but she feels like she needs to take care of us."

Just then, a young girl with dark curly hair who looked to be in her early teens ran through the door and hid behind the piano. A boy who looked to be the spitting image of the girl if only a little taller came through the door with an evil grin on his face.

"I don't know where you are Jenna, but I will get you back for that!" He yelled while looking straight at the piano. Reece came back in the room at the last of the boy's speech and rolled her eyes. I couldn't hold back my laughter.

"Can you two not behave for five minutes? Can you not see that we have guests?" The dark haired boy glanced over at us and grinned just like Emmett.

"Howdy! I'm Derek! The prankster behind the piano is Jenna. I'm the older more mature one." Jenna shot out of her hiding place and glared at her brother.

"You're older by six minutes and I hardly think you're more mature! And I thought you didn't know where I was?!"

Jenna's haughty attitude reminded me of Rosalie and I couldn't keep the smile off my face. Then entered the forty-year-old Rosalie, herself, who even with laugh lines looked like she could be a model. Right behind her was Emmett, still as big as ever, with a look of pride on his face for his children.

"Alright you two, go help your uncle unload the car and your cousin's going to be here soon with more bags," Emmett bellowed and the twins stalked off out the door. Emmett turned to us and "Hey there, I'm Emmett."

Meeting my family for the second time was incredible. Emmett and Rosalie had the three children that we had already met and when they talked of their kids I melted with the love that filled their voices. Minutes later, Carlisle introduced himself and Edward informed me that he too felt like he knew us. It was amazing.

We sat around talking for a good twenty minutes before another car pulled up and a pregnant woman with pale blonde hair and Esme's kind eyes walked through the door holding the hand of a rather shy two year old. She spotted us sitting on the couch and came straight over.

"You must be the kids everyone is talking about. I'm Isabella." She held out her hand for me to shake, but I couldn't move. She lowered her hand without offense. "I know you guys have probably been through a lot, but you aren't alone. I know you don't know us yet, but we're here for you."

She stared into my eyes and sighed. I finally got the nerve to speak. "You're name is Isabella?" She smiled.

"Yeah, my mom said that she just had to name me Isabella. There was no other choice." She laughed and her soft voice made it sound like music.

I was stunned. Esme really had remembered. I felt the tears escape my eyes and I hid in Edward's shirt as to not alert anyone. Edward just held me until I was ready to join the rest of the family for dinner. I knew that we could only stay for four years and then have to leave for college, but it was four years that I got to spend with my the people that I loved. Maybe I would even get to visit from time to time after that.

Finally, I was ready to face everyone. Edward and I made our way to the already busy dining room table and I enjoyed the company of my family. I always wondered what had happened and now I knew that I had made the right decision all those years ago. My family was happy and together again for the first time in twenty-five years.

No matter what happened in the future, I had gotten the closure that I needed. I would no longer wonder and I would no longer fret. I had Edward and my family had happiness.

**A/N: So, yeah. I thought that was a happy ending ^_^ Let me know what you think!!!**


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